‘Avatar’ looks to bolster its box office numbers once more before sequel lands

Avatar, the highest-grossing film of all time, would like to bump up its box office numbers just that tiny bit more ahead of the release of its decade-in-the-making sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, and it is doing so in China with yet another theatrical run. It will also reportedly feature an exclusive easter egg for audiences who go out and watch it again. 

The film will play in over 80 cinemas across the country, remastered in 4K and HDR. The limited run is reportedly akin to the global remastered rerelease from September this year, which was the theatrical cut featuring improved audio and frame rates in some sequences.

Of course, this re-re-release only adds insult to injury for the devout fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after James Cameron’s 2009 film dethroned Avengers: Endgame from the highest-grossing film mantle, after the culmination of the biggest battle in the MCU yet managed to temporarily snag the title from its competitor. 

Although both franchises are owned by Disney, which means ultimately it was a win regardless of the result for the Big Mouse. It’s no surprise that Disney once again brought Avatar back to China’s theaters, with the movie being quite clearly loved by audiences in that part of the world. 

During its initial run, the film made $200 million in China. During the unofficially named ‘Dethrone Endgame’ campaign last year, it made another $58 million, over a quarter of its initial run, per Deadline. A very pretty penny for a 2009 rerelease with minimal additional budget allocation. 

Only time will tell if audiences around the world will open their wallets just as wide as they did for the original when Avatar: The Way of Water hits theaters on Dec. 16, 2023. Here’s where you can catch the original film to get yourself up to speed before then.