Avatar: Fire and Ash sets the box office ablaze with $43.1 million in 43 markets; $12 million domestic in early Thursday previews
Fight or flight on Pandora
The moment of truth, of sorts, is here. Avatar: The Way of Water proved that the first film’s success hadn’t fallen victim to the passage of too much time, as it grossed an amazing $2.32 billion at the box office. The James Cameron sci-fi series is a full-on running franchise and Avatar: Fire and Ash is now upon us. With our recent predictions, it’s unlikely that Avatar: Fire and Ash will match or surpass the $134 million opening weekend of The Way of Water three years ago. A debut closer to **$100 million—give or take—seems more realistic. While that figure might look mildly disappointing on paper, history has shown that betting against James Cameron is rarely a smart move. The film’s business over the holiday season should be strong, and whether it ultimately joins its predecessors on the list of the highest-grossing movies of all time remains to be seen.
Eywa has heard you
Variety reports that Avatar: Fire and Ash has already grossed $43.1 million in 43 territories with early Thursday previews. The return to Pandora has amassed $12 million domestically. The publication added that Cameron’s new film is estimated to earn another $250 million to $275 million in its international debut for a global launch between $340 million and $365 million. This performance matches both of the earlier entries, but they also excelled in the duration of the holiday season. The first film would especially grow from word-of-mouth as the new wave of 3D viewing technology had been unveiled and ignited an interest in the immersive format.
The second film brought back the third dimension and incorporated a higher frame rate, which had been explored earlier with the Will Smith/Ang Lee action film, Gemini Man.
How did we feel about Avatar: Fire and Ash?
Our Chris Bumbray had an amazing time at the film, even if the story beats are starting to wane. He says in his review, “Yet, as always with this series, I had a good time, as the lengthy running time races by, and the immersive tech really does make you feel like you’re part of this world. Cameron still seems engaged by the material, and it’s bound to be another hugely successful crowd-pleaser (an Aliens callback involving Weaver’s Kiri will no doubt get a lot of cheers). Some think the audience’s thirst for Avatar may run out someday, but Cameron has been wise in the way he’s refused to allow the studio to spin off any element of his world, keeping the franchise feeling fresh. If there’s an Avatar 4 and 5, I’ll be there.” You can read his full review HERE.
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