Avatar: The Way of Water Becomes Third Biggest Domestic IMAX Release of All Time

by E-G February 5, 2023

Avatar: The Way of Water continues to make waves at the box office, raking in an additional $5.3 million globally from IMAX screens in its eighth week of release. The science-fiction epic has earned a total of $247 million from IMAX screens worldwide, reflecting an audience preference for premium formats.

The film has also added another $2 million domestically this weekend, bringing its total to $85.7 million and becoming the third-biggest domestic IMAX release of all time. Internationally, the film brought in another $3.1 million over the weekend, bringing its total to $170 million across 47 different countries. Despite a COVID surge during its release in China, the film’s IMAX run remains strong, with a cume of $52 million and now standing as the second-highest-grossing IMAX film in the country. Avatar: The Way of Water holds the record as the biggest first-run IMAX release of all time.

While the film may see a gradual decline in the upcoming weeks with the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, it continues to climb up the all-time list outside of IMAX theaters. The film recently became the first post-pandemic release to cross the $2 billion threshold, earning a total of $2.174 billion worldwide. The film is inching closer to Titanic, directed by James Cameron, which will be re-released in theaters next week in celebration of its 25th anniversary, leaving the question of whether Avatar: The Way of Water can top Titanic open for speculation.

Along with its successful box office run, Avatar: The Way of Water has also earned four Academy Award nominations, including Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Best Production Design, and Best Picture of the Year. The franchise has much in store for the future, with a third installment already filmed and set to debut on December 20, 2024. While plot details are yet to be revealed, previous reports suggest the film will feature a clan of fire Na’vi living in Pandora’s volcanic region, with Oona Chaplin attached to star as their leader.