James Cameron is one of the most successful Hollywood directors ever, with Titanic, the Terminator films, and the Avatar films under his belt. Despite this, no one would expect that the second of the Avatar films, Avatar: The Way of Water, would gross almost the same amount as every MCU and DCEU film released in 2023. However, that was exactly what happened.
Released in December 2022, The Way of Water grossed $2.32 billion at the box office. In contrast, the three MCU films released in 2023, as well as the four DCEU movies, could only muster $2.36 billion between them.
Of the seven feature films from both universes, only two earned significant returns with their initial theatrical runs – Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, both of which were from the MCU.
The former raked in $476 million, although it became the worst-rated MCU movie, against a $200 million budget while the latter, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, performed even better with an $846 million gross from a $250 million budget. Unfortunately, the studio’s third release, The Marvels, flopped with a meager $275 million gross against its $206 million budget.
The DCEU fared worse with all four of its releases – The Flash, Blue Beetle, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom – tanking badly.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods grossed a measly $129 million against its $125 million budget, while Blue Beetle earned $134 million from $120 million. Despite its bigger $220 million budget, The Flash could only manage $271 million, while Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which is currently in theatres, has only grossed $276 million from $215 million.
When added together, the superhero studios have collectively grossed an approximate sum of $2.36 billion, which is only $40 million more than Cameron’s second Avatar movie.
Since the establishment of the MCU, superhero movies have consistently been some of the biggest draws for audiences but this wasn’t the case in 2023. However, the entire movie industry suffered a collective setback. Other blockbusters like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny as well as Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One also fell flat on their faces. So, the dip in popularity may be more a reflection of audiences’ shifting attitude to cinema in general, instead of to superhero movies.
Nevertheless, The Way of Water is worthy of acclaim, especially when contrasted with the performance of many other blockbusters that came after it. It is a testament to Cameron’s prowess as a director as well as his skill to attract viewers to theaters as Titanic, Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, and every other successful blockbuster he’s ever directed proves.
In the meantime, fans can look forward to the still untitled third installment of the Avatar series, which is slated for release in 2025.
