Avatar 2 falls out of the top spot on M3GAN for the first day after the release
For the first time, M3GAN, a movie about killer dolls, has dethroned Avatar: The Way of Water from the top spot at the domestic box office. Avatar: The Way of Water, which debuted 13 years after the original 2009 picture, reunites director James Cameron with actors Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, and others. The Avatar sequel has made over $1.5 billion since its December 16, 2022, theatrical release, making it the highest-grossing movie of the year, but Top Gun: Maverick continues to lead the American box office for the whole 2022 calendar year.
According to Collider, Avatar: The Way of Water is up against some competition; M3GAN has recently added another achievement to resume. M3GAN’s Friday opening box office was a massive $11.7 million, even though Avatar: The Way of Water will still be taking the top spot for the weekend with a total gross of roughly $10 million over M3GAN’s three-day expectations. Due to this, it was able to surpass Avatar: The Way of Water’s $11.4 million opening day revenue on its fourth Friday in theatres. As a result, no movie other than Avatar: The Way of Water has held the top spot for even one day from its premiere until Friday.
Why M3GAN is Operating So Effectively
M3GAN is currently having a fantastic weekend at the box office. The movie, produced by James Wan and written by Akela Cooper and starring Allison Williams from Get Out, had a better opening weekend than the No. 1 horror smash Smile from 2022. Additionally, it earned back its $12 million budget (plus some) in just one weekend.
The movie’s success is probably due to several factors. With a 94 percent rating on Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes (the highest for a Blumhouse horror since the Oscar-nominated Get Out)), the movie first appears to be bridging the gap between critics and audiences. It indicates that most viewers agree that, whether or not the movie is to their tastes, it’s a good time at the movies. Another popular meme involving a TikTok dance challenge is sparked by a scene from the M3GAN teaser in which the titular killer doll sees dancing while holding a sharp object.
What Movie Will Face Off Against Avatar: The Way of Water?
Even while M3GAN has reduced the popularity of Avatar: The Way of Water, this doesn’t indicate that it will soon lose its appeal. The movie is currently the ninth-highest-grossing movie of all time, and before its run to the finish, it will likely go up the list much further. The two movies will likely continue to alternate at No. 1 for some time, as January appears to be a very dry month for wide releases, save for the openings of Plane and the House Party revival next weekend.
The upcoming Marvel feature Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which isn’t out until February 17, will put up a fierce battle and demote the Cameron film to No. 2 permanently. Early in February, Knock at the Cabin, and Magic Mike’s Last Dance will also be available.
