Avatar 2 star Stephen Lang expects the film to break Avengers: Endgame's global box office record. For nearly a decade, the original Avatar ranked as the highest-grossing movie of all-time, bringing in $2.790 billion worldwide during its incredible run. That record stood until Endgame swooped in last summer and finished with $2.797 billion. Obviously, ticket price inflation played a large role in this, but it was nevertheless impressive to see Endgame accomplish this feat. Rather than be upset about being knocked down on the charts, James Cameron expressed hope Endgame's turnout means Avatar 2 can be a monumental success in its own right.
When the long-awaited sequel finally arrives in theaters next December (12 years after its predecessor), it will be interesting to see how it performs. Much has been made of Avatar's perceived lack of a cultural footprint, causing some to wonder how much demand there is for a return journey to Pandora. At the same time, people have already made the mistake of doubting Cameron twice (Titanic and Avatar were predicted to fail, but broke records), so by now the Oscar-winning filmmaker has earned the benefit of the doubt. As far as Lang is concerned, the appetite for Avatar 2 will be there in full force.
In an interview with The National, Lang (who's reprising his role as the villainous Colonel Quaritch in the Avatar sequels) was asked if Avatar 2 could top Endgame at the box office. "I expect so," was the actor's brief answer to the question.
The first Avatar set a new record thanks to a combination of filling a void in the marketplace (2009 was an interesting time without many mega franchises) and ushering in a new era of 3D filmmaking. Because of those factors, Avatar was a must-see cinematic event and rode strong legs to the top of the charts. It goes without saying the Hollywood landscape has drastically changed in the past decade, as 3D has lost most of its appeal and there are several high-profile properties vying for ticket sales year-round. There will be four MCU movies and three DCEU films released in 2021 alone, including Black Adam that December. So, Avatar 2 is going to have some competition from box office star Dwayne Johnson. As the recent Star Wars/Jumanji showdowns have illustrated, there will likely be enough room for both Avatar 2 and Black Adam next winter, but it may be difficult for Cameron to hit $2 billion again.
It's also highly uncommon for a sequel to a record-breaking blockbuster to match or surpass its predecessor's total. Endgame was able to best Infinity War, but that's a rare exception released under irreplicable circumstances (marking the culmination of this generation's defining movie franchise). Cameron is undoubtedly giving Avatar 2 his all and is looking to once again push the boundaries of technology, but $2.7 billion is still a tall order for any movie, no matter how popular the director or brand. His latest evolutions may only go so far in selling the Avatar experience this time. Remember, in 2009 Avatar was a new thing people were curious to see for themselves. But now, audiences know what Avatar is, and it didn't resonate with the general public as much as Star Wars, Marvel, or DC. The original Avatar may have a better chance of reclaiming its crown (via re-release) than Avatar 2 has of taking the title itself.
Source: The National
