Avatar : The Marvels Outmatched as Avatar 2 Dominates the 2023 Box Office

In 2022, the release of Avatar: The Way of Water surpassed the box office earnings of several 2023 Disney releases, notably The Marvels. The film debuted in theaters on December 16, 2022, as a direct sequel to James Cameron's highly successful 2009 sci-fi film Avatar, and faced significant scrutiny due to its lengthy development process.

Many critics and moviegoers were skeptical that Cameron could revive interest in the Avatar franchise so long after the debut of the first movie. However, the Oscar-winning filmmaker defied expectations as Avatar: The Way of Water earned over $2.3 billion in global ticket sales.

Professional pundits generally had positive reviews for the second Avatar installment. The dazzling CGI-driven visuals of The Way of Water received widespread praise, although some critics had concerns about the sequel's story and its lengthy 192-minute runtime.

Avatar 2 outperforms The Marvels and other 2023 movies

Despite the aforementioned criticisms, Avatar: The Way of Water's box office performance remained unaffected. The film continued to draw in impressive numbers even in 2023, grossing $283 million in the US during its theatrical run.

As per Variety, this achievement places it as the seventh-highest-grossing film of the year in the domestic market. It also surpasses a number of other notable Disney releases from 2023, such as Marvel Studios’ The Marvels.

The most recent MCU film has only made a disappointing $76 million so far, but it's important to note that it is still playing in theaters. Disney's other high-budget films that fell short in 2023 include "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" ($214 million), "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" ($174 million), "Elemental" ($154 million), and "Haunted Mansion" ($67 million).

However, Disney achieved success with another MCU film, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3." Director James Gunn's final installment in the Guardians series earned over $845 million worldwide earlier this year and is currently the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2023.

Avatar 3 targets a December 2025 release date

Despite this, the year 2023 signifies the first time since 2014 that Disney has not released a movie that grossed $1 billion without the influence of a pandemic. Additionally, Disney cannot depend on the Avatar franchise to remedy its situation, as the third installment is not set to premiere until December 19, 2025.

The plot of Avatar 3 is currently shrouded in mystery, but Cameron announced in January 2023 that the third installment will feature "two entirely new cultures" within the franchise's mythology.

For the most recent updates on Avatar 3, make sure to explore Dexerto's comprehensive coverage here.

Editor's P/S

Avatar: The Way of Water has been a massive success at the box office, surpassing the earnings of several 2023 Disney releases, including The Marvels. This is a testament to the enduring popularity of the Avatar franchise and James Cameron's filmmaking prowess. Despite some criticism of the film's story and length, audiences have flocked to see the visually stunning sequel, which has grossed over $2.3 billion worldwide.

The success of Avatar: The Way of Water is a sign that audiences are still hungry for big-budget, visually spectacular films. The film's immersive world-building and cutting-edge special effects have captivated audiences of all ages. While The Marvels has underperformed at the box office, it is still too early to count out the MCU. The franchise has a proven track record of success, and there is no reason to believe that future films will not be able to recapture the magic of the earlier installments.