Avatar 2 Just Cracked Yet Another Enormous Record
Avatar 2 has surpassed $2 billion in worldwide ticket sales as just the sixth film in history to achieve this record.
It’s no secret that Avatar: The Way of Water is one of the most expensive film productions in history. According to director James Cameron, the sequel needed to gross at least $1.5 billion just to break even. After arriving in theaters on December 16, the long-awaited follow-up has managed to claim the top spot at the box office for six consecutive weeks, and according to Variety, Avatar 2 has cracked another massive record, surpassing $2 billion in worldwide ticket sales.
Cameron’s sequel is only the sixth film in history to achieve such a milestone. It’s worth noting that the acclaimed filmmaker is responsible for three of the six movies that have crossed the $2 billion mark, including Avatar 2, 1997’s Titanic, and 2009’s Avatar. Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens are the other three films that are a part of the exclusive club.
Early box office projections seemed to indicate Avatar 2 would struggle to turn a profit, which put the fate of Cameron’s planned sequels in jeopardy. Even though the film earned approximately $134 million in its debut weekend, breaking even seemed like a longshot for the expensive follow-up. Now, it looks like the director may be able to see his epic sci-fi series through thanks to The Way of Water’s remarkably successful run on the big screen.
It’s still far too early to predict whether Avatar 2 can match the box office figures of its predecessor. Cameron’s original film was released in theaters long before the Covid-19 pandemic rocked the world, and it managed to earn nearly $3 billion in global ticket sales. It’s worth mentioning Avatar has been re-released in theaters four times since wrapping up its initial big-screen run, where it played for a staggering 234 days.
Considering Avatar 2 is the first movie to cross $2 billion during the pandemic in just 39 days, it’s probably safe to say the sequel will continue to dominate at the box office for a few more weeks. Although the film will likely see a significant drop in ticket sales once Knock at the Cabin arrives in theaters on February 3, its box office figures should still hold strong since it will serve as counter-programming to M. Night Shyamalan’s R-rated apocalyptic thriller. Of course, The Way of Water’s double-digit numbers is sure to seize when Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania releases on February 17.
Now playing in theaters around the world, Avatar 2 follows Jake Sully, who lives with his newfound family formed on the extrasolar moon Pandora. Once a familiar threat returns to finish what was previously started, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na’vi race to protect their home. The sequel stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Cliff Curtis, Kate Winslet, and Edie Falco.
Avatar 2 is the first of four sequels James Cameron has planned for his epic science fiction series. The next installment, which is rumored to be subtitled The Seed Bearer, is reportedly 95 percent completed. The film is expected to arrive in theaters on December 20, 2024.
