Avatar (the movie) and its Sequels

[gerarar]

Aw man I’m screwed. Nobody liked the above post. What do you think guys @MisterPenguin and @gerarar should I just wait for streaming? Haha

You should definitely see it in theaters! It's a spectacle for sure.

Watching it at home on D+, I just feel like you won't get the same experience. It's one of those things that a theater experience is worth it for.

My IMAX had regular stadium-style seating, but the seats were heated. I think I would've preferred reclining (for 3+ hours), but oh well. The seats did tilt backwards, kinda like an office chair.

 

[Slpy3270]

Final domestic weekend total is $134.1 million, edging out The Batman, the final DC film released before the WBD s***show.

Interestingly, the drop between Saturday to Sunday is the exact same percentage (17%) as the Friday to Saturday drop.

 

[_caleb]

I don't see a need to ever step into a theater ever again!! Especially since I have a smart phone with me wherever I go!!!

@MisterPenguin "at the movies"

 

[Jedijax719]

Seeing a movie in the theater has to be an immersive experience these days. There's no two ways about it. I GUESS that's the main reason Top Gun Maverick was such a hit (story wise I just don't get or see it). People have to have a reason to see a movie on the big screen in a way that seeing it at home doesn't quite cut it. That's why comedies and dramas will never ever be big successes at the theaters ever again. The theater experience should provide something special just as a ride at a theme park should.

What would need to happen is that other movies besides Avatar need to provide this experience. One franchise cannot hoard that entire technology or experience otherwise there won't be anywhere to show it at all.

 

[spacemt354]

Seeing a movie in the theater has to be an immersive experience these days. There's no two ways about it. I GUESS that's the main reason Top Gun Maverick was such a hit (story wise I just don't get or see it). People have to have a reason to see a movie on the big screen in a way that seeing it at home doesn't quite cut it. That's why comedies and dramas will never ever be big successes at the theaters ever again. The theater experience should provide something special just as a ride at a theme park should.

What would need to happen is that other movies besides Avatar need to provide this experience. One franchise cannot hoard that entire technology or experience otherwise there won't be anywhere to show it at all.

Comedies and dramas typically have smaller budgets with less SFX, so they don't need to make $1 Billion+ to be considered successful.

Films like Everything Everywhere All At Once showed that. And horror films like Smile and Barbarian were box office successes as well. Then you had kid friendly comedy films like Minions: The Rise of Gru which will most likely be the 5th highest grossing of 2022 in the end.

Oppenheimer next July will definitely be a 'theater experience' for me and that's a drama/bio film.

The reason these effects work to bring people out for Avatar: The Way of Water is in part due to its exclusivity and the director at the helm. It also costs a lot to make and is a huge risk for studios if the right creative team isn't behind it.

 

[Jedijax719]

Comedies and dramas typically have smaller budgets with less SFX, so they don't need to make $1 Billion+ to be considered successful.

Films like Everything Everywhere All At Once showed that. And horror films like Smile and Barbarian were box office successes as well. Then you had kid friendly comedy films like Minions: The Rise of Gru which will most likely be the 5th highest grossing of 2022 in the end.

Oppenheimer next July will definitely be a 'theater experience' for me and that's a drama/bio film.

The reason these effects work to bring people out for Avatar: The Way of Water is in part due to its exclusivity and the director at the helm. It also costs a lot to make and is a huge risk for studios if the right creative team isn't behind it.

While the bolded may be true for studios, that point does not help movie theaters whatsoever. They still need crowds in order to stay afloat. And, yes, there are movies that come out and surprise us all. However, theater chains (especially smaller ones) can't continue to pin their hopes on scarce franchises and 1 or 2 surprises a year.

So, "profit" is great, but when that only means a few million, it doesn't add up. I'm not saying theaters are about to close, but the next 5-10 years are going to be very shaky. They NEED to make the theater experience immersive and/or tied to other entertainment venues.

And when a movie like Avatar2 banks and markets on the big 3D screens only, there's only so far it can go.

Btw, reports are that Avat2 saw a bigger Sunda-Monday drop than Rogue One 6 years ago. We'll see if that is true when officials come out. This will certainly be an interesting 2 weeks to watch.

 

[spacemt354]

While the bolded may be true for studios, that point does not help movie theaters whatsoever. They still need crowds in order to stay afloat. And, yes, there are movies that come out and surprise us all. However, theater chains (especially smaller ones) can't continue to pin their hopes on scarce franchises and 1 or 2 surprises a year.

So, "profit" is great, but when that only means a few million, it doesn't add up. I'm not saying theaters are about to close, but the next 5-10 years are going to be very shaky. They NEED to make the theater experience immersive and/or tied to other entertainment venues.

And when a movie like Avatar2 banks and markets on the big 3D screens only, there's only so far it can go.

Btw, reports are that Avat2 saw a bigger Sunda-Monday drop than Rogue One 6 years ago. We'll see if that is true when officials come out. This will certainly be an interesting 2 weeks to watch.

Box office revenue is shared by theaters and studios. Sure, the total box office might be smaller for lower-budget films, but that isn't a new phenomenon. And I don't see how converting most films into immersive theater experiences is going to help smaller theaters or local family owned ones that may not be able to afford those enhancements. Not every film needs to be Avatar. If you saturate the market with immersion it may generate a bump in the short-term but eventually the determining factor will resort back to whether the film is good or not vs how immersive the experience is.

 

[Jedijax719]

Box office revenue is shared by theaters and studios. Sure, the total box office might be smaller for lower-budget films, but that isn't a new phenomenon. And I don't see how converting most films into immersive theater experiences is going to help smaller theaters or local family owned ones that may not be able to afford those enhancements. Not every film needs to be Avatar. If you saturate the market with immersion it may generate a bump in the short-term but eventually the determining factor will resort back to whether the film is good or not vs how immersive the experience is.

But theaters survive on concessions too. If attendance is low, then concession sales are low. Again, you need people in seats. If big franchise films start to decrease in attendance, then theaters suffer since those are the movies paying the bills.

 

[spacemt354]

But theaters survive on concessions too. If attendance is low, then concession sales are low. Again, you need people in seats. If big franchise films start to decrease in attendance, then theaters suffer since those are the movies paying the bills.

Your logic isn't wrong, I just dont see why you're so worried. There's a lot of positives to take from the 2022 box office. Avatar pretty much doubled the domestic opening weekend of the first film and people are worried like the sky is falling.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

It's hard to say what the future of theater going will look like. We're still in that post-COVID period where some people want a significant spectacle to get them into a theater. We're also seeing the timeframe between theatrical and home streaming shrink more and more.

Is everybody really feeling that a comedy is best viewed at home? There's nothing like seeing a genuinely funny movie in a theater full of people laughing out loud.

 

[MisterPenguin]

‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ Global Opening Rises To $441.6M – International Box Office Update

Avatar: The Way of Water opened to $441.6M globally, including $307.6M from international markets with Sunday actuals included

deadline.com

‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ Has Second Best Monday Of 2022 With $16M+, Domestic Box Office At $150M+ – Update

'Avatar: The Way Of Water' Eyes $16M Monday, $150M+ 4-day Total

deadline.com

 

[Disney Irish]

‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ Global Opening Rises To $441.6M – International Box Office Update

Avatar: The Way of Water opened to $441.6M globally, including $307.6M from international markets with Sunday actuals included

deadline.com

‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ Has Second Best Monday Of 2022 With $16M+, Domestic Box Office At $150M+ – Update

'Avatar: The Way Of Water' Eyes $16M Monday, $150M+ 4-day Total

deadline.com

Now at $497M on the day. So in 3 days its already almost $500M. Yeah easy to see how it could hit $1B by next week.

 

[CaptinEO]

Save the planet

 

[_caleb]

It's hard to say what the future of theater going will look like. We're still in that post-COVID period where some people want a significant spectacle to get them into a theater. We're also seeing the timeframe between theatrical and home streaming shrink more and more.

Is everybody really feeling that a comedy is best viewed at home? There's nothing like seeing a genuinely funny movie in a theater full of people laughing out loud.

We'll have to tell our grandkids all about it

 

[Clamman73]

Saw it at 10am this morning in a XPlus theatre with only a handful of people in the theatre. Nice to sit in a recliner for 3 hrs. The 3hrs does go by pretty well…some people did leave for a break.
Just super beautiful to watch, a few parts went by and I was like “wait rewind that“ to understand exactly what happened, I went in really without knowing what the plot was supposed to be and was wondering how they were filling 3hrs.
I would say to people, yes see it, but see it in the best theatre you can though.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Save the planet

Cam talked to the dolphins. They said it was OK.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Now at $497M on the day. So in 3 days its already almost $500M. Yeah easy to see how it could hit $1B by next week.

Im thinking it will do big the week between Christmas and New Years.

 

[Disney Irish]

Im thinking it will do big the week between Christmas and New Years.

Yes agreed.

 

[TP2000]

We're still in that post-COVID period where some people want a significant spectacle to get them into a theater.

Not picking on you personally, as I've read that sentiment from others quite a few times here now. But it makes no sense to me.

It's important to realize that I have not been concerned about Covid for at least 18 months, since I got my shot in early '21. But I understand that especially in certain cities people are still masked and it's still a concern even after being quadruple vaxxed. So....

If someone in 2022 after multiple vaccinations is still concerned about Covid circulating in their community, why would they wait for a really big Hollywood blockbuster to go to the movies? The blockbusters are in the biggest theaters with the most people and have few open seats left, hence the blockbuster title. The smaller, less popular movies are held in smaller theaters with less ticket sales and lots more open seating around you.

So a person who is still concerned about Covid waits for the movie to be a huge hit and the theaters to be packed to go see it?

I'm forever baffled by that line of thinking, quite honestly.

Is everybody really feeling that a comedy is best viewed at home? There's nothing like seeing a genuinely funny movie in a theater full of people laughing out loud.

Agreed!

I think the future of movies is still promising. Any kind of movie. If the movie is entertaining enough and interests the audience enough, people will shell out 50 bucks on a Saturday night and go see it. There's a heckuva lot of other entertainment options out there now though, so Hollywood can't just keep belching out mediocrity. They need to up their game to sell their tickets!

 

[celluloid]

Streaming Services are going to have to rapidly change the business model faster and more than Theaters will.

10 dollars or less for shared screens and log ins for big budget content is not goin to cut it.