Disney is hoping for a similar success with "Avatar: The Way of Water." The film opened with $17 million in domestic ticket sales on Thursday, with a majority of those tickets coming from 3D and premium format screenings.
The movie earned an additional $50.4 million from international markets, excluding China, on Thursday, with 3D and premium format tickets accounting for 71% of the total in Europe and 39% in Asia-Pacific. China’s advanced screenings have earned the movie $5 million so far, with an expected $18.5 million opening day.
The film is expected to open with $175 million domestically, and Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian has described it as “just the beginning” of the movie’s box office run. Disney is hoping for a similar success to the original “Avatar” film, which made $760 million in the US and over $2 billion internationally on its initial theatrical run.
On Thursday, Disney's "Avatar: The Way of Water" opened to the tune of $17 million in domestic ticket sales and $50.4 million from international markets, excluding China. An impressive 61% of these tickets were for 3D and premium format screenings, signaling that Disney is betting big on the film's success. Marvel Studio's "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" produced the highest opening night with $36 million, followed by "Thor: Love and Thunder" with $29 million, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" with $28 million, and Warner Bros.' "The Batman" with $21 million.
The film has earned generally positive reviews and is expected to open with $175 million domestically. Director James Cameron has previously told GQ that the film needs to become the third or fourth-highest grossing film in history to break even, meaning it needs to generate more than $2 billion at the global box office.
The original "Avatar" film made $760 million in the US and more than $2 billion internationally on its initial theatrical run, staying in theaters for an impressive 234 days. Disney is hoping for similar success with "Avatar: The Way of Water" and is betting big on 3D and premium format screenings.