Avatar: The Way of Water is predicted to double the first movie's box office opening

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The first Avatar movie went on to be the highest-grossing movie of all time

Zoe Saldaña in Avatar
(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

The first box office predictions are in for Avatar: The Way of Water – and it's set to earn big. According to Variety, the long-awaited sequel is likely to open to at least $150 million in the US, with a chance the total could reach up to $175 million. 

When it was released back in 2009, the first Avatar movie made $77 million on its opening weekend in the US (although Variety notes that a major snowstorm may have affected figures). The movie went on to make $2.7 billion at the global box office, making it the highest-grossing movie of all time. 

In Avatar: The Way of Water, several years have elapsed since the first movie and former marine Jake (Sam Worthington) and Na'vi princess Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) are now parents. The sequel is also set to explore the underwater world of the Na'vi planet Pandora, with actors like Sigourney Weaver – who's playing Jake and Neytiri's adopted teenage daughter – holding their breath for up to six minutes. The movie's cast also includes Stephen Lang, Michelle Yeoh, Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, and Jemaine Clement. 

Emily Garbutt
Entertainment Writer

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related across the Total Film and SFX sections. I help bring you all the latest news and also the occasional feature too. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.