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The forecast is in. As of this writing, Avatar: The Way of Water It’s expected to bring in $150 million to $175 million in North America this weekend.These are large sums, usually set aside for Marvel movies or star wars. Yes, the predecessor to the film is the highest-grossing film of all time — taking in more than $2.9 billion worldwide since its 2009 release — but people forget that its opening weekend gross was just $77 million, and People didn’t think it was a sure thing. It was the repeat customers that turned it into a juggernaut.Now, James Cameron and anyone who supports theater survival hopes avatar Can again exceed expectations.
The film, now in theaters, takes place in far different circumstances than its predecessor. In 2009, despite the bad economy, it still felt hopeful and all 3D technology was amazing avatar It still feels good to be pulled off, miraculously. Audiences seem so busy sinking in that they forget that the film’s story is rote. In 2022, the bells and whistles of filmmaking are rote parts, and two years after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, audiences may be skeptical of 3 hours and 10 minutes of immersion in a theater.
Maybe even Cameron knows this.lots of early buzz way of water Focus on an improved story for the sequel. “One of the (effective) taps on the first avatar It’s the characters that feel like kirigami, primarily as containers for exploring fantastical settings,” New York Magazine’s Bilge Ebiri writes. “This time, Cameron felt as if he took the criticism to heart.” Cameron also spent little time in the film’s promotional cycle talking about the film’s technical accomplishments.
But is that enough to get people into theaters?although the movie likes Top Gun: Maverick and Spider-Man: Nowhere to Return Box office hits have proven possible in the age of Covid, there’s a feeling way of water Will be some kind of blockbuster/ litmus test for some people seeing blockbusters three times in theaters. That’s what happened in the first movie.However, as new york times magazine It was recently pointed out that “in the Avatar: The Way of Waterthe most pressing seems to be “Who asked for it?” “Of course, maverick Capable of captivating audiences 36 years later Top Gunbut Top Gun It also leaves a more lasting cultural footprint.On the one hand, fans still say, “I feel the need, need speed”; avatar?
But it’s possible that all of that was crossed out by another old Hollywood adage: Never doubt James Cameron.Although it seems that few people care avatar These days, that may not matter.When the original film re-released in China in 2021, it made millions — so much so that it reclaimed the top spot as the highest-grossing film of all time, beating Avengers: EndgameThe movie also comes at a time when audiences are more willing than ever to return to theaters. Maybe all they need is Cameron to show them the way.
