LOS ANGELES, March 12 (Reuters) – James Cameron’s science fiction blockbuster is about to return to the top of the box office charts this weekend after the film was re-released in China.
“Avatar,” which debuted in 2009, retained its global box office title for a decade, until it was overtaken by the Marvel superhero epic “Avengers: Endgame” in 2019.
On Friday, Cameron’s film reached about $ 3.5 million in new ticket sales after it was relaunched in China, where the trip to the movies recovered after the closing of cinemas due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
That left “Avatar” just shy of the worldwide $ 2.798 billion total raised by “Endgame,” according to distributor Walt Disney Co. Both films are now owned by Disney after the company bought entertainment assets from Fox in 2019.
Cameron is working on four “Avatar” sequences. The next film, which has been postponed several times, is scheduled for release in December 2022. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine Editing by Bill Berkrot)