Avatar: The Way of Water is expected to cross $1 billion at the global box office very soon, according to the latest numbers from entertainment outlets that include Deadline, which reported this morning that the new sequel from James Cameron has already managed to earn $955.1 million through Monday, just 13 days after its global release on December 14, making it the third-highest grosser of 2022 and the fourth-biggest film of the pandemic era.
“Through Monday, the split is $293.2M domestic and $661.9M at the international box office,” the publication wrote of the film, which has been received positively by many audiences for its state-of-the-art motion capture and special effects. “Internationally, Way of Water now stands as the No. 2 release of 2022 and No. 3 studio title of the pandemic era.”
Avatar: The Way of Water’s domestic and international haul for Monday was $31.5 million and $52.2 million, respectively, with the top five overseas markets through Monday being China ($104.5 million), France ($60.5 million), Korea ($55.4 million), Germany ($41.5 million) and India ($39.2 million).
Tuesday’s totals already include $108.7 million in China based on local estimates, with Maoyan, a ticketing service, estimating a $170 million final, a number that would bring Avatar: The Way of Water into the $1 billion club.
According to Cameron, who hasn’t directed a big-budget blockbuster since the original 2009 Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water will need to be the third or fourth highest-grossing film ever to turn a profit.
Occupying those slots currently is Titanic and Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, which are listed with worldwide lifetime grosses of $2,201,647,264 and $2,069,521,700, respectively, on Box Office Mojo.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray versions of Avatar and The Abyss, Cameron’s 1989 underwater alien film starring Ed Harris, are rumored for release next year.