Disney’s Avatar: The Way of Water opened in China this past weekend to $57.1 million. The presale rates as well as other online measurements of audience interest had suggested that the film would open to over $100 million. However, a growing COVID-19 outbreak in Beijing and other cities has significantly lowered consumer activity.
Rance Pow, CEO of regional box-office consultancy Artisan Gateway stated, “China’s theatrical industry continues to labor under the impact of COVID, with significant impact to original estimates, This includes what may be a reluctance of people to return in force to public spaces, including cinemas — ironically, as COVID policies become more adaptable to local conditions. If so, Avatar 2‘s long runtime may work against it. However, the film is sporting excellent social media scores, James Cameron has an immense fan base in China, and his films have an established performance record of legging out well.”
With audiences that have already seen The Way of the Water, Chinese viewers have given it a 9.3 on Maoyan, and 9.2 on Alibaba’s ticketing app Tao Piao Piao and 8.2 on movie site Douban. The film is performing very well on Imax in China, with $15.8 million on 735 Chinese Imax screens, a 27 percent share of the film’s weekend total.
The Way of the Water’s future in China depends on consumer behavior over the upcoming weeks as the locals cope with their first experience of widespread COVID infection as an everyday part of life. However, Avatar 2 may have time on it’s side with the possibility of an official screening extension following its first four weeks of release.
The Way of Water‘s fate in China now comes down to how consumer behavior evolves over the coming weeks as the local public copes with its first experience of widespread COVID infection as an everyday fact of life. The country is seeing its first nationwide surge in cases since the lifting of most testing requirements and pandemic restrictions earlier this month.
—
Twin Design / Shutterstock.com