Avatar 2: The Way of Water

[IlyaP]

1 hour ago, ithanos said:

Rogue theory. We got Unobtainium in the first movie. Amrita in The Way of Water. I'm predicting, in the next installment, a new Na'vi tribe will offer some other mystery of Eywa for the RDA to salivate over. Prolly some shining substance that rhymes with Mythrall. I see what he's up to. Cameron is setting up his own Infinity Saga with a clutch of magical elements. Assembling the five lions of Voltron so when Voltron Aywa draws back with that blazing sword she can pass final judgement on mankind and his greedy ways.

If this pans out, I'm nominating you as the forum's lottery ticket buyer!  

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

I don't know what's going on in China regarding covid restrictions and whatnot, but I've been scanning r/boxoffice the past few days and it looks like Avatar 2 is up about 30% over the previous week. It's China box office is actually higher than its domestic box office for the last few days. 

[BigFatCoward]

Why do Cameron's films seem to defy box office drop off? It's weird. 

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

22 minutes ago, BigFatCoward said:

Why do Cameron's films seem to defy box office drop off? It's weird. 

Franchise momentum and hype vs word of mouth I guess. 

It's interesting comparing domestic box office with opening weekends. The biggest opening weekend was Dr. Strange 2; followed by Wakanda Forever, Jurassic World, & Thor 4.  The three MCU films released this year all made 40+% of their total domestic box office on opening weekend, with DrS2 highest at 45.6%. And by the end of the first month it was basically finished. 

Domestically, Top Gun 2 and Avatar 2's opening weekends are 7th and 5th respectively. We know how that turned out.

[Arakasi]

Wife and I haven’t seen it but will next month so I guess we’ll help the numbers. 

[Kalnestk Oblast]

The reason that avatar has such long legs is because it's the Dennys of movies. It isn't most people's first pick or favorite, but when you want to go to the movies (especially in a dead period like the winter) this is the pick that will be guaranteed to be...fine, and worth it in a theater. It makes no impressions and carries no weight. It is the popcorn of popcorn movies.

[Corvinus85]

In actor news, Oona Chaplin plays the leader of the Ash People in Avatar 3. https://screenrant.com/avatar-3-cast-oona-chaplin-fire-navi-chief/

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

I was wondering about that. She was credited on IMDB for Avatar 2 but didn't appear. Vin diesel also pops up there for some reason. 

Avatar 2 just overtook Top Gun Maverick world wide, excluding China. It's also overtaken Avengers Infinity War's overseas cume.

Avengers. Infinity. War. 

[BigFatCoward]

1 hour ago, Kalnestk Oblast said:

The reason that avatar has such long legs is because it's the Dennys of movies. It isn't most people's first pick or favorite, but when you want to go to the movies (especially in a dead period like the winter) this is the pick that will be guaranteed to be...fine, and worth it in a theater. It makes no impressions and carries no weight. It is the popcorn of popcorn movies.

There's been loads of similar films, none of them made 2 billion +. 

Edited January 21 by BigFatCoward

[Kalnestk Oblast]

1 hour ago, BigFatCoward said:

There's been loads of similar films, none of them made 2 billion +. 

There are! But none are James Cameron films, none have the hype and marketing and expectation. It's not that it's a better film, it's that it is a more guaranteed film. 

[IlyaP]

4 hours ago, Deadlines? What Deadlines? said:

I was wondering about that. She was credited on IMDB for Avatar 2 but didn't appear. Vin diesel also pops up there for some reason. 

Avatar 2 just overtook Top Gun Maverick world wide, excluding China. It's also overtaken Avengers Infinity War's overseas cume.

Avengers. Infinity. War. 

With Vin, it's been confirmed he won't be in the movies - he was just in the neighbourhood (a portion of the movie was filmed outside LA) and wanted to see what they were doing, how they were doing it, etc. 

[IlyaP]

4 hours ago, Deadlines? What Deadlines? said:

Avengers. Infinity. War. 

But not Infinity's War sequel. Not yet. That's Avatar's 2 ultimate endgame. 

 

[ithanos]

8 hours ago, Corvinus85 said:

In actor news, Oona Chaplin plays the leader of the Ash People in Avatar 3. https://screenrant.com/avatar-3-cast-oona-chaplin-fire-navi-chief/

Ash people, right? Cool, they could be Na'vi dwarves. I shall posit they're no more than 7feet tall at most.

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

8 hours ago, Kalnestk Oblast said:

There are! But none are James Cameron films, none have the hype and marketing and expectation. It's not that it's a better film, it's that it is a more guaranteed film. 

Marketing and hype and expectation will drive opening weekend ticket sales. Legs are driven by word of mouth. So there's a difference. 

11 hours ago, Kalnestk Oblast said:

The reason that avatar has such long legs is because it's the Dennys of movies. It isn't most people's first pick or favorite, but when you want to go to the movies (especially in a dead period like the winter) this is the pick that will be guaranteed to be...fine, and worth it in a theater. It makes no impressions and carries no weight. It is the popcorn of popcorn movies.

Speaking for myself, I'd say it made a hell of an impression. And I'm sorry, but a sci-fi saga where the villain of the story is "humanity" writ large; not the "Denny's of movies". There are however several other releases this year that could contend for that title. 

5 hours ago, IlyaP said:

But not Infinity's War sequel. Not yet. That's Avatar's 2 ultimate endgame. 

 

Oh, I'm sure there's a cohort of MCU fanboys who are primed and ready with, "well, it didn't beat Endgame" hoo-ha. 

Edited January 22 by Deadlines? What Deadlines?

[IlyaP]

1 hour ago, Deadlines? What Deadlines? said:

Oh, I'm sure there's a cohort of MCU fanboys who are primed and ready with, "well, it didn't beat Endgame" hoo-ha. 

Endgame's success was mostly front-loaded, right? As in, it made most of its bank in the first few weeks and then tapered off, unlike Top Gun Maverick and Way of Water, which just keep going, yeah? 

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

2 hours ago, IlyaP said:

Endgame's success was mostly front-loaded, right? As in, it made most of its bank in the first few weeks and then tapered off, unlike Top Gun Maverick and Way of Water, which just keep going, yeah? 

Yes. I'm not sure what you're getting at.

[Argonath Diver]

Just want to name drop that I hung out with Oona Chaplin one night in New York among surprising mutual friends, ending up at a karaoke bar at 3am. It was my singular favorite night out there among many, and she is an absolute delight. I am going to have a very difficult time resolving her as a 7 foot tall red alien.

[IlyaP]

4 hours ago, Deadlines? What Deadlines? said:

Yes. I'm not sure what you're getting at.

As in - Endgame made a lot of its money quickly, whereas A2 could keep going and overtake it if it maintains the current consistent pace it's at. 

[BigFatCoward]

1 hour ago, IlyaP said:

As in - Endgame made a lot of its money quickly, whereas A2 could keep going and overtake it if it maintains the current consistent pace it's at. 

Could it? I was under the impression it was being pegged for about 2.5 max. But who knows, Cameron film don't perform normally. 

[Kyoshi]

On 1/21/2023 at 6:59 PM, Kalnestk Oblast said:

The reason that avatar has such long legs is because it's the Dennys of movies. It isn't most people's first pick or favorite, but when you want to go to the movies (especially in a dead period like the winter) this is the pick that will be guaranteed to be...fine, and worth it in a theater. It makes no impressions and carries no weight. It is the popcorn of popcorn movies.

I'm finding the conversation very interesting because I've always wondered how it gets decided that movies are impactful/audiences actually connect with them, because I must be one of few people who were genuinely waiting for this film. My whole family, in fact. We've already had repeat watches because we genuinely enjoy the franchise, can connect with the strong environmental themes, and are eagerly awaiting the so-called Ash people rumoured for Avatar 3.

This isn't directed at you, but I personally find most of the criticism against the franchise rather lazy, like one guy made a bunch of bullet points against it and now everyone just sort of picks from that list to argue why the movies are "bad." Stuff like "can you even name the main character at the top of your head?" The answer doesn't matter IMHO. My favourite book of all time is "The Remains of the Day" and I kid you not when I say I couldn't name the main character two weeks after putting it down. Bit it still remains the most profound story I've ever read.

I guess what I'm trying to say, in a roundabout way, is that people might simply enjoy the franchise. At least enough to explain the ridiculous box office numbers. The story is "simple," sure enough, but some things, IMHO, are allowed to be. I'm South African, my history dictates that I NOT have to imagine overly complex motivations for human cruelty. Humans are shit, for the most part. Especially when you factor in capitalism. A lot of mines and petroleum companies STILL have to be bullied into prioritising human life and the environment over money. Just a year ago (IIRC) the Wild Coast was in danger from Shell. There's nothing complex about that. If someone wrote that story, it really would be that straightforward. So I guess the "it's too simple" argument kind of baffles me.