Box Office: Avatar 2 Underwhelming In North America And China Amid High Expectations

Los Angeles, December 17 - James Cameron said that Avatar: The Way of Water will need a minimum of $2 billion at the global box office to break even, but the movie is having underwhelming numbers in its two biggest markets - North America and China.

"Avatar 2" was projected to score a huge $175 million opening weekend in its domestic (North American) market, but that projection has been blown away by slow response despite extremely positive WOM. As per the Hollywood trade analysts, "Avatar 2" grossed $134 million on opening weekend, well below the projection.



It was the covid-19 pandemic that hurt the box office in the last two years but it is still spoiling the party in China which is currently facing the wrath of covid. When the advances opened in China, "Avatar 2" was on track for a huge start as the projection suggested over $175 million opening weekend, but that is now a thing of the past as actual numbers are nowhere near the projections.

Despite the positive WOM, "Avatar 2" grossed just $23.5 million Friday, including previews, and finished the opening weekend at just $57.10 million, which is just about 30% of the initial projection. The combined opening weekend total for "Avatar 2" in the US and China is $192 million.

Meanwhile, on the brighter side, "Avatar 2" had the second biggest overseas opening of the pandemic era with $300.10 million, after "Spider-Man: No Way Home's" $340 M, from like-for-like markets. The global box office of the Disney tentpole reached $434.50 million.