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'Avatar' stays atop N.America box office on storm-dampened weekend
Pulling in an estimated $90 million, Avatar: The Way of Water has blown away the competition even as a massive storm kept millions at home over the four-day Christmas weekend.
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(L-R) Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Britain Dalton, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Jamie Flatters, Bailey Bass, Jack Champion, Joel David Moore and Jon Landau attend the U.S. Premiere of 20th Century Studios' 'Avatar: The Way of Water' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on December 12, 2022. (AFP/Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for 20th Century Studios)
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ulling in an estimated $90 million, Avatar: The Way of Water has blown away the competition even as a massive storm kept millions at home over the four-day Christmas weekend, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Monday.
The James Cameron sci-fi sequel has now earned 20th Century $287.7 million domestically, becoming the fifth highest-grossing film of 2022.
But while analysts said it had exceeded expectations on a storm-depressed weekend, three new releases produced far more modest returns.
Universal's family-oriented Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, a computer-animated spin-off of the Shrek franchise, took in $17.5 million for the Friday-through-Monday period.
Sony's biopic Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody earned just $6.8 million. English actress Naomi Ackie portrays the late superstar.
And comedy-drama Babylon, helmed by Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle, opened with a mere $5.3 million despite a cast including Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie. Variety.com called that an "especially terrible start."
But David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research suggested that the over-the-top epic can expect a boost "if it picks up big awards nominations," as many expect.
Fifth place for the long, cold weekend went to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, at $5.3 million. Its domestic total is now $428 million.
Rounding out the top 10 were:
Violent Night ($4.3 million)
The Whale ($1.5 million)
The Menu ($1 million)
The Fabelmans ($900,000)
Strange World ($675,000)
