Avatar: The Way of Water emerges as the biggest box-office victory after it sails past Tom Cruise’s Top Gun: Maverick’s milestone. The sequel to James Cameron’s 2009 movie, The Way of Water arrived in theaters on December 16 and conquered all movie houses internationally, in less than a week.
In just two weeks, Avatar 2 crossed the $1 billion mark, a major feat for the franchise after a 13-year absence from the mainstream media. The movie is expected to become the highest-grossing movie of 2022.
Avatar: The Way Of Water Finds Success In International Theaters
According to Variety, Avatar: The Way of Water earned an additional $70 million to its global collection, with a profit of $337 million domestically and $762 million internationally, as of Wednesday’s report. Top Gun: Maverick has a revenue of $770 million internationally, and by the weekend, Avatar 2 will now beat Tom Cruise’s movie.
The holiday contributed a lot to the success of Cameron’s film, with many people flocking to theaters to celebrate the festive season and the post-pandemic era. Now that New Year’s Day is upon us, the studio is expecting another surge in income.
Avatar: The Way of Water is undoubtedly more popular in international theaters than in domestic. The fantasy world of Pandora and the incredible cinematography is one of the factors that captivated global audiences. Top Gun: Maverick is heavily based on the themes of patriotism and the culture of the US Navy, which is more appealing to audiences from the US.
Let us also not forget that Avatar: The Way of Water opened in China, which is known as one of the largest markets for international films. Tom Cruise’s movie was not shown in Chinese theaters, so this is one of the main reasons why Avatar 2 has an advantage over Top Gun: Maverick.
James Cameron’s Avatar 2 Needs To Beat Top Gun: Maverick In Domestic Arena
Avatar 2 has a chance to perform well domestically, but there is little chance that it will beat Top Gun: Maverick’s $718 million domestic income. The chance heavily relies on its performance in international theaters. But, as mentioned, the holiday season is still alive at this period, and it may bring additional numbers to the current tally.
Meanwhile, Disney and James Cameron are now working on the release of Avatar 3 and 4. The movies were simultaneously shot together with The Way of Water. This means that fans won’t have to wait much longer. Although, the release dates of the future sequels are still up for final confirmation.
Source: Variety
