'Avatar' sequel leads in N.America, passes $1 billion globally / Photo: Frederic J. Brown - AFP/File
NYSE - LSE
| CMSC | 0.22% | 23.141 | $ | |
| CMSD | 0.32% | 23.365 | $ | |
| RBGPF | 0% | 73.08 | $ | |
| RYCEF | -2.4% | 14.6 | $ | |
| NGG | -0.08% | 71.5 | $ | |
| RELX | 0.82% | 48.085 | $ | |
| BCC | -0.09% | 86.54 | $ | |
| RIO | 0.46% | 61.325 | $ | |
| JRI | 0.51% | 13.3441 | $ | |
| SCS | -0.34% | 16.145 | $ | |
| BCE | 1.09% | 25.65 | $ | |
| VOD | 0.43% | 11.69 | $ | |
| GSK | 0.79% | 39.11 | $ | |
| BTI | -0.53% | 57.115 | $ | |
| AZN | 0.92% | 79.195 | $ | |
| BP | 0.46% | 34.3 | $ |
'Avatar' sequel leads in N.America, passes $1 billion globally
"Avatar: The Way of Water" took in an estimated $82.4 million this holiday weekend in North America, pushing it past a global total of $1 billion in near record time, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.
The four-day domestic take for the sci-fi flick brought its domestic total to $440.5 million, on top of $957 million earned overseas; only a half-dozen films have passed the $1 billion mark in their first two weeks.
But director James Cameron has estimated that the high-budget 20th Century movie needs to make twice that much just to break even. The original "Avatar" took in a record $2.9 billion.
Second place in North American theaters went to Universal's family-oriented "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish," a computer-animated spin-off of the popular "Shrek" franchise. It took in $22 million for the Friday-through-Monday period.
Another blockbuster sequel, Disney's "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," earned $6.5 million to place third; its domestic total rose to $439.6 million in its eighth week out.
In fourth place was Sony biopic "Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody," at $5.4 million. English actress Naomi Ackie portrays the late superstar.
And in fifth was Paramount's comedy-drama "Babylon," at $3.6 million. Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie star in director Damien Chazelle's over-the-top tribute to an early Hollywood struggling with the transition from silent films to "talkies."
Rounding out the top 10 were:
"Violent Night" ($2.8 million)
"The Whale" ($1.8 million)
"The Fabelmans" ($1.6 million)
"The Menu" ($1.4 million)
"Strange World" ($747,000)
Q.Mander--SbgTB
