As James Cameron’s science fiction epic Avatar gears up for its triumphant return to theaters this Friday, the film is already making bank in several international markets. So far, the film has already collected $877K at the international box office. The film was released early in five international markets, which include France, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, and the Philippines.
The film’s re-release in France rose to the top as Avatar opened number one at the box office, earning $513K, an 8% increase compared to the theatrical 3D re-release of Titanic in 2012. In Korea, Avatar made an additional $277K at the box office, debuting in third place behind two local films. The film also debuted at the top of the box office in Belgium and the Philippines and in Saudi Arabia, the film opened second at the box office, but specific numbers have not been reported for these regions.
As Avatar sweeps through several markets, the film officially opens today in Mexico, Brazil, Italy, and Germany. The film will expand to more theaters when it officially opens in the United States and other international markets this Friday. While it’s too early to tell how much this will reflect Avatar’s box office performance in the next couple of weeks, its early performance in other markets is showing good signs of a healthy start. Shanghai Disney Resort also offered a special screening of the film to celebrate the opening of the Avatar: Explore Pandora immersive experience. However, Avatar will not be returning to theaters in China ahead of Avatar: The Way of Water, as it was just re-released there last year when it earned another $58M.
Avatar’s theatrical re-release comes amidst the anticipation for its long-awaited sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, which is set to splash into theaters on December 16. With the original film, which currently stands as the highest-grossing movie of all time, back in theaters, audiences will be able to re-experience the movie in a brand-new way. Now updated in stunning 4K high dynamic range, Avatar’s return to theaters could remind audiences why they fell in love with the film in the first place while also bolstering anticipation for its sequel later this year.
Avatar follows a recent wave of theatrical re-issues of several films this year, including E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Jaws in 3D, and an extended edition of Spider-Man: No Way Home. How the movie’s domestic performance will be compared to these films remains to be seen. However, if the international box office is of any indication, the film could potentially have a solid return to theaters when it debuts this Friday.
Avatar returns to theaters on September 23. Check out the official trailer for the film’s theatrical re-issue below:
