AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER Manages To Secure China Release...Good News As It Cost $400 Million To Make!

Avatar: The Way of Water has managed to land a highly coveted release in China, and it's a good job too when the sequel reportedly cost as much as $400 million to produce. Read on for further details...

By JoshWilding - Nov 24, 2022 05:11 AM EST

Filed Under: Avatar

Disney and 20th Century Studios have announced that Avatar: The Way of Water will receive a coveted release in China. In what can only be considered a massive win for the sequel, it will drop in the Middle Kingdom on December 16, the same day the movie premieres in North American theaters.

Few movies have been released in China since the pandemic, robbing many blockbusters of the opportunity to earn record-breaking numbers at the global box office. There are a number of reasons for that, though they're primarily political.

In Avatar: The Way of Water's case, it's essential that it make as much money as possible. As THR (via SFFGazette.com) reveals, the sequel is one of the most expensive movies ever made with a budget that falls somewhere in the range of $350 million - $400 million.

Oh, and that's just the production budget, meaning it doesn't take marketing costs into account.

Avatar, which would ultimately gross $2.92 billion worldwide, ended up making a total of $261.8 million in China during its initial run and through multiple re-releases. Numbers like that will be incredibly important to the sequel's success, and its arrival in that country on the same day as the rest of the world will limit any potential damage caused by piracy.

The trade notes that talks for Avatar: The Way of Water to play in China have been taking place for weeks, though the news breaking two days after Bob Iger's return as CEO is certainly fortuitous timing for him.

With Avatar: The Way of Water, the franchise reaches new heights as James Cameron transports audiences back to the magnificent world of Pandora in a spectacular and stirring action-packed adventure.

Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, the sequel begins to tell the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.

Avatar: The Way of Water splashes down in theaters worldwide on December 16.

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68 Comments

1 2

AmazingFILMporg - 11/24/2022, 6:20 AM

So it needs 900 million to break even🤔....

UniqNo - 11/24/2022, 6:39 AM

@AmazingFILMporg - Cameron said himself it's need to be 3rd or 4th highest grossing to just break even...so that's around 2.05 billion going by the current top 5's numbers.

DoubleD - 11/24/2022, 7:04 AM

I'm hoping Avatar: The Way of Water will be the biggest box office hit in 2022. My box office prediction for Avatar sequel is 2.5 billion worldwide.

UniqNo - 11/24/2022, 7:15 AM

@DoubleD - I ate crow last time we discussed numbers though you were still off by about 20mil for BP Wakanda forever, so I’ll come in more realistic!

HELL NO!

Na I’m joking, i think somewhere between 1.3 and 1.8 billion..

The only competition this movie really has is Wakanda Forever and has been out already a couple weeks and from there it’s a couple months smooth sailing. Still some room for a surprise hit to come out though but January is normally slow.

3D screenings will get more money in, but it's still over 3 hours long, so less repeat screenings in the same day, but Disney no doubt has all the screens anyway so they'll work around it.

It could get to 2.5, but definitely not on its first run. He'll probably rerelease it around the time they start the marketing run for Avatar 3 with bonus footage, that will give it more of a chance.

DoubleD - 11/24/2022, 7:35 AM

@UniqNo - Prepare to have your mind blown by James Cameron Avatar: The Way of Water. Fasten your seatbelts because Avatar going to be on Hell of a ride :)

Everyone will pay the IMAX and 3D prices to see Avatar: The Way of Water. Me and my entire family will be there to see it in 3D. The excitement is very real for this movie.

UniqNo - 11/24/2022, 7:40 AM

@DoubleD - Oh, i'm there opening night too, but NWH didn't even crack 2 billion, but that was closer to the pandemic i suppose. I'm just doubtful it will get to 2.5, but if the release sticks for China, it's got a fair shot.

DoubleD - 11/24/2022, 7:43 AM

@UniqNo - Avatar 2009 the WORLD has been waiting for Avatar: The Way of Water. James Cameron will not let people down.

DOMESTIC = $785,221,649

INTERNATIONAL = $2,137,696,265

WORLDWIDE = $2,922,917,914

1 2

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER Manages To Secure China Release...Good News As It Cost $400 Million To Make!

Avatar: The Way of Water has managed to land a highly coveted release in China, and it's a good job too when the sequel reportedly cost as much as $400 million to produce. Read on for further details...

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