'Avatar: The Way of Water' makes $17 million in Thursday previews, driven by big 3D sales - CNBC

James Cameron's "Avatar: The Way of Water" snared $17 cardinal during its Thursday nighttime previews connected its mode towards a $175 cardinal opening weekend.

The fig itself is not peculiarly singular compared to different cinematic releases this year, but the percent of tickets that were sold for 3D and premium format screenings is rather notable.

A whopping 61% of Thursday's home tickets were for 3D showings.

Marvel Studio's "Doctor Strange successful the Multiverse of Madness" produced $36 cardinal during its Thursday previews, the highest of immoderate movie successful 2022. "Thor: Love and Thunder" was the second-highest with $29 cardinal followed by "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," which snapped up $28, and Warner Bros.' "The Batman," which took $21 cardinal successful aboriginal summons sales.

Premium formats volition beryllium a large origin successful the film's opening play and its wide container bureau run. Director Cameron and Disney have marketed "The Way of Water" arsenic a must-see 3D movie, meaning the bulk of showings for the movie volition necessitate peculiar glasses and a steeper summons price.

This is peculiarly important considering Cameron told GQ that the movie will need to go the 3rd oregon fourth-highest grossing movie successful past to interruption even – meaning that it needs to generated much than $2 cardinal astatine the planetary container bureau during its archetypal tally successful theaters.

EntTelligence estimates that for "The Way of Water" 3D tickets volition mean astir $16.50 each portion 2D volition outgo astir $12.50 a piece.

Heading into the play the "Avatar" sequel saw an adjacent divided betwixt the fig of 3D screens and 2D screens. This is the highest ratio of immoderate movie released this year. The second-highest was "Wakanda Forever" with 17% 3D showings.

On Thursday, the movie made $50.4 cardinal from planetary summons sales, excluding China. In Europe, 71% of tickets sold came from 3D and premium format showings. Meanwhile, successful Asia-Pacific, which includes Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, 39% of container bureau receipts were for these much costly showings.

So far, China has tallied $5 cardinal successful precocious screenings, with expectations that opening time volition apical $18.5 million.

"Every marathon starts with that archetypal measurement and for 'Avatar: The Way Of Water' this is conscionable the beginning," said Paul Dergarabedian, elder media expert astatine Comscore. The movie has earned generally affirmative reviews, arsenic well.

"Avatar," which was released successful 2009, lone made $77 cardinal during its opening weekend, but went connected to go the highest-grossing movie of each time. It maintains that rubric acknowledgment to respective rereleases.

The movie had unthinkable staying powerfulness astatine the container office, moving successful theaters done August 2010, a staggering 234 days. "Avatar" yet generated $760 cardinal successful the U.S. and Canada and much than $2 cardinal from planetary markets during its archetypal theatrical run.

At the time, theatrical windows typically ran for 75 to 90 days. These days, the timing betwixt theatrical merchandise has narrowed to astir 45 days. Of course, determination person been exceptions, including Paramount and Skydance's "Top Gun: Maverick" which has been successful theaters for 203 days and continues playing.