No shock right here: “Avatar: The Way Of Water” continues to surge forward commercially. Variety experiences that James Cameron‘s blockbuster moved past the director “Tiantic” on the highest-grossing movies of all time list to #3 over the weekend. That makes three James Cameron movies with over a $2 billion worldwide gross: 2009’s “Avatar” at $2.923 billion; “The Way of Water” at $2.2432 billion; and “Titanic” with $2.2428 billion. In between Avatar and its sequel at #2? “Avengers: Endgame” with $2.7994 billion.
So now the query turns into whether or not “The Way Of Water” overtakes “Endgame” and the 2009 authentic. Short reply: most likely not. Cameron’s new movie stays within the prime 5 on the weekly field workplace ten weeks after its launch in December, however M. Night Shyamalan‘s “Knock At The Cabin” overtook for the #1 spot to start February. Since then, “The Way Of Water” has made between $6-11 million, fluctuating between the #2 and #3 spots in weekly box office gross. The math says if Cameron’s sequel retains up that charge, it could take “The Way Of Water” a minimum of 5 weeks to catch “Endgame,” and about seven weeks minimal to surpass “Avatar.” So, not unattainable, but additionally unlikely. Still, anybody who bets in opposition to Cameron now after one other runaway success is a complete idiot, so who is aware of?
As for Cameron, World Of Reel (through the LA Times) experiences the director eyes a non-“Avatar” undertaking after the theatrical launch of “Avatar 3” in December 2024. That raises some eyebrows, however then once more, Cameron was vocal within the lead-up to “The Way Of Water” hitting theaters that he could not direct “Avatar 4” or “Avatar 5.” The supposed various? An adaptation of Charles R. Pellegrino‘s “The Last Train From Hiroshima,” about survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings in World War II. “We live in a more precarious world than we thought we did,” Cameron told the LA Times. “I think the Hiroshima film would be as timely as ever, if not more so. It reminds poeple that these weapons really do when they’re used in opposition to human targets.” Cameron first optioned Pelligrino’s ebook in 2010.
Considering that Cameron has labored solely on the “Avatar” franchise since 1999-2000, that marks over 20 years on one mega undertaking. And if he directs “A4” and “A5,” that’d be practically thirty years dedicated to Pandora and its saga. It’s due to this fact arduous to think about Cameron engaged on the rest, even not directly like with “Alita: Battle Angel.” But although the “Avatar” films proceed to make large bucks, Cameron’s different movies like “Aliens” and his two “The Terminator” movies stay arguably extra critically revered. So, sure, Cameron is nice at something he places his thoughts to, and, actually, it’d be good to see him attempt his hand at one thing apart from “Avatar” for a bit.
Another factor to remember: Cameron shall be 70 when “Avatar 3” hits theaters in December 2024. So if Cameron desires to make one thing past “Avatar” movies within the ultimate act of his profession, perhaps he ought to hand the reins to different administrators for the franchise’s fourth and fifth installments. At this level, it’s nearly assured that no matter Cameron makes will make buttloads of money. Since that’s what issues to Hollywood, Cameron will be capable of transition away from “Avatar” if he desires to.