Photo: Gareth Cattermole/Getty; 20th Century Studios
James Cameroncontinues to dominate Hollywood.
Just over a week after the long-awaited sequelreached $2 billion at the box officeglobally, it has now secured a coveted spot among the five highest-grossing movies of all time, landing fourth over the weekend.
It joinsAvatar, which holds the No. 1 spot with $2.923 billion;Avengers: Endgameat No. 2 with $2.799 billion; andTitanic, No. 3 at $2.195 billion.Star Wars: The Force Awakensnow holds the No. 5 spot with $2.071 billion global sales.
While Cameron’s latest blockbuster hasn’t beaten his 1997 classic quite yet, it’s possible that it’s on track to, as it’s climbed from $2 to $2.1 billion in just 10 days.
Considering how “very f—-ing” expensive the sequel was to make, as Cameron, 68, recently toldGQ, the impressive box office showing has proved the movie maker’s ability to churn out hit films. He even joked thatThe Way of Waterwould “have to be the third- or fourth-highest-grossing film in history” to just “break even,” when making the case for the film to the studio.
The Way of Waterreached the billion-mark in just 14 days.
Gareth Cattermole/Getty
Cameron had been open about hisnerves ahead of releasing the long-awaited sequelto the No. 1 movie in history, particularly considering the pandemic’s effects on moviegoing.
“The big issue is: Are we going to make any damn money? Big, expensive films have got to make a lot of money,” he toldEntertainment Weeklyin December 2021. “We’re in a new world post-COVID, post-streaming. Maybe those [box office] numbers will never be seen again. Who knows? It’s all a big roll of the dice.”
Despite being a risk, his roll of the dice proved successful, and positions the forthcomingAvatarmovies —the third and fourth have been confirmed, while the fifth is not yet guaranteed— as potential record-breakers, too.
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The Way of Water’s box office success has also brought personal success toZoe Saldaña, who became thefirst actor to have four movies earn over $2 billion worldwide. Her other three titles to reach the milestone are: 2009’sAvatar, 2019’sAvengers: Endgameand 2018’sAvengers: Infinity War.
source: people.com
