Pricey Avatar sequel opens shy of forecasts on its box office journey
James Cameron's long-awaited 'Avatar' sequel fell short of ticket sales forecasts as it swept into theaters over the weekend, though box office experts said it was too soon to judge whether the movie would recoup its massive costs.
'Avatar: The Way of Water' racked up roughly $435 million around the globe, distributor Walt Disney Co said, including $134 million in the United States and Canada.
'The Way of Water' is "built for the long haul, as are almost all James Cameron films," said Jeff Bock, senior media analyst at Exhibitor Relations Co. Audiences "may not show up the opening weekend, but they will show up eventually."
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Studios split ticket sales with theaters, and Cameron has said "The Way of Water" will need to make $2 billion just to break even. Disney has not disclosed the budget and marketing costs.
Film critics praised the visual spectacle of 'The Way of Water,' and 94% of ticket buyers provided a positive rating on the Rotten Tomatoes website.
