Posted on 12/19/2022 9:07:47 AM PST by Red Badger
The new 'Avatar' movie has already raked in an impressive amount in ticket sales for day 1 of its opening weekend -- but big picture ... it looks like this one's gonna disappoint.
James Cameron's 'The Way of Water' -- the long-awaited sequel to 2009's smash hit "Avatar" -- was able to pull in about $53 million Friday (which includes around $17 mil from Thursday previews) ... and, as of now, is on track to make between $130M-$150M through Sunday.
That might sound impressive ... but it's actually a bit of a bummer considering the early projections for this were around $150M-$175M -- which is a bit of a steep drop-off. Of course, whether the flick has the legs the OG did over a decade ago is the big question.
As we all know, "Avatar" went on to become the highest-grossing movie of all time -- with a box office of well over $2 billion. But in 2022, when theatergoers are scant and big-ticket blockbusters -- like 'Wakanda Forever' -- have hard dips in the second week and onward, it's hard to say if 'Way of Water' will come anywhere close to where its predecessor did.
Tack on the fact that this movie has a reported budget in the range of $250M-$350M -- depending on who you listen to -- it could end up being a bust for Disney in the long run.
Funny enough, JC says he's got at least three more sequels ready to go if he gets the green light -- and there's been rumors of at least two more getting release dates. Of course, as we know, these plans are always tentative and ever-changing ... just ask Warner Bros.
Time will tell if we get to see more of the Na'vi blue people.
Movie theaters are going away, dying a slow death................
Does the sequel at least have the same level or better 3D effects? Because for me, that part alone was worth suffering through the lame “Dances with Wolves in Space” story line.
My wife and I are in our 60s and have been married for 35 years. A hot date for us generally involves Bengay and a heating pad.
Does that translate into many more eyes seeing it as compared with the original? If ticket prices went up 50% since the original movie came out, then a 25% increase in gross receipts translates to a loss in eyes seeing the movie.
We have only recently been introduced to heating pads. Still have not needed motorized carts at supermarkets.
I think the novelty of the 3D had a lot to do with the original Avatar’s success. I saw it when it came out on video and thought it was a 2nd rate, very cliched, sci-fy flick and cheesy. (Unobtanium?)
Tried watching it last night. Shut it down. Boring.
TG Maverick
$1.5B and that’s with no China and no Russia release, and ppl still staying out of theatres
I stopped going to the movie theatre after The Last Jedi. Not only did that kill Star Wars for me but pretty much everything big entertainment hurls at us. When it comes to this I still haven’t seen the first one so I’m like a person who hasn’t been vaxxed. The boosters are irrelevant
Yeah, it will easily cross a billion dollars, how far it goes above that will be word of mouth. Word of mouth has been really solid from anti-woke YouTube movie guys who like the idea of a patriarch protecting his family (which is apparently the theme of the movie), versus the MSheU that Disney has been pushing with girl-power crap for most of Phase 4.
The Last Jedi was the first time I felt that the filmmakers were mocking me. The director's name in the moviesphere is 'Ruin Johnson'.
Do blue people count as being “of color”?
I read the original Avatar opening gross in N.America was $77 million, which translates to about $101 million today. Avatar 2 opening gross in N.America was $135 million. I’ve seen neither movie, don’t plan on seeing either one. Just saying I wouldn’t bet against Cameron when it comes to making money.
I saw it.
I saw it in 3D.
The visuals were incredible. I didn’t see the original in 3D so don’t have anything to compare it to.
Half the movie was about Sully’s teenage offspring.
If you liked the original you will like the sequel.
It will make a lot of money.
Theaters are too expensive these days to see it multiple times, so it won’t make as much as the original.
I watched the first StarWars. The iconic scrolling words in the beginning, told me all I needed to know. It was a Fairy Tale wrapped in a Sci-fi box.
Haven’t been back since......................
Went yesterday, solely for the GCI and graphics, which were outstanding. But the movie was 1 to 1-1/2 hours too long. It seemed like some sort of weird ego stroke about this great world they created and they wanted to show it off.
But the story, sigh….
Capitalism is bad and wasteful. All the bad guys were white (or used to be white). Natives are spiritual, good, and peaceful of course. Just the same old clap-trap crap.
Dances with Dolphins.....................
My nick is an obscure reference from it. You have it exactly right a fairy tale in a SF box. I enjoyed it until much later obviously but I have no plans to change it. It’s not like having a nick like W fan or Bushrules still or even worse something with McCain or Romney in it.
I like to read the Motley Fool, but they have been recommending Cineplex stock as a value buy. I just don’t know. Performance this bad with Avatar has me questioning investment into theatre chains. I live in a small town but the last movie we saw we were the only ones in the theatre.
Is it wrong to hope it fails miserably?
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