It was not a great start Thursday night for “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” which took in $5M less than its predecessor, “The Way of Water.”
That’s just $12M last night in previews. This one might debut under $90M domestically. Its international numbers might somewhat save it, for now, as it’s expected to have a $340M worldwide debut.
Now, before we go all doom and gloom, the previous ‘Avatar’ movies had major legs. The first “Avatar” launched with $77M domestically and eventually made $2.92 billion worldwide. ‘The Way of Water’ opened with $134M domestically and eventually earned $2.3 billion worldwide, making it the third-highest-grossing film ever.
‘Fire and Ash’ will need those legs. The biggest hurdle for it is that it’s the least well-received instalment of the franchise, and there’s the possibility that “Avatar” fatigue might very well be upon us. Stay tuned …