'Avatar' sequel leads in N.America, passes $1 billion globally / Photo: Frederic J. Brown - AFP/File
NYSE - LSE
| SCS | 0.12% | 16.14 | $ | |
| RBGPF | -2.23% | 80.22 | $ | |
| RYCEF | 1.48% | 14.86 | $ | |
| RELX | -0.64% | 40.56 | $ | |
| RIO | 1.55% | 77.19 | $ | |
| GSK | -0.14% | 48.71 | $ | |
| NGG | 1.8% | 77.16 | $ | |
| BTI | -0.21% | 57.17 | $ | |
| BCE | -0.78% | 23.15 | $ | |
| CMSC | -0.34% | 23.26 | $ | |
| BP | 2.06% | 34.47 | $ | |
| CMSD | -0.43% | 23.28 | $ | |
| JRI | -0.6% | 13.43 | $ | |
| VOD | 0.86% | 12.81 | $ | |
| BCC | 0.59% | 76.29 | $ | |
| AZN | -1.66% | 89.86 | $ |
'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)
G.Papazoglou--AN-GR
