Avatar: The Way of Water finally arrives in theaters this Friday and in news which has proven incredibly fortuitous for the sequel, it drops in China the same day as the rest of the world. Only a handful of Hollywood movies have been released in the Middle Kingdom in recent years, putting a significant dent in the box office hauls of several huge titles.
In 2019, Avengers: Endgame was able to do what many thought impossible when it passed 2009's Avatar to become the highest-grossing movie of all time. However, a re-release during the pandemic (and again earlier this year) has ensured the 3D blockbuster has retaken the top spot, giving it a healthy $120+ million lead.
Now, the movie should only further its advantage, as Avatar is set to receive yet another re-release in China this week according to Deadline (via SFFGazette.com). It started rolling out there yesterday, and is said to include an "exclusive Easter Egg" for local audiences.
This is said to be similar to the remastered version that was released back in September, and we're sure it will add even more millions to Avatar's already record-breaking box office haul. Helping its cause is the fact that the upcoming sequel makes use of the Chinese Cinity cinema system that presents 3D, 4K, and high-frame-rate imagery in groundbreaking new ways.
In 2010, Avatar earned over $200 million in China, with a 2021 re-release netting an additional $58 million. That helped push it past Avengers: Endgame before this year's remastered version increased the sci-fi blockbuster's stronghold over that #1 spot.
Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, the upcoming 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.