As expected, China has given a theatrical release to James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water. This is a big deal given the fact that China sidelined, during the pandemic, many Hollywood blockbuster films, specifically Disney-Marvel movies. However, the first Avatar was a big grosser in China, earning more than $260M between all its re-releases or 9% of the pic’s $2.9 billion lifetime cume. The sequel to the biggest-grossing movie of all time will hit China day and date with U.S./Canada on December 16.
News about Avatar: Way of Water‘s China release was posted on Disney’s social media Weibo account in the PRC.
When the original movie was re-released in China in March 2021, Imax delivered 30% of the opening weekend box office, despite accounting for only 1% of Chinese screens. The total 2021 re-release of Avatar in China made close to $58M.
Avatar: Way of Water has a running time in excess of three hours. Cameron in an interview with GQ told that the sequel is “the worst business case in movie history.” Industry sources tell us the sequel cost before P&A $400M.
