What is a blockbuster when it comes to the world of cinema? Is it a film that shatters box office records and forges new ones? Or are we talking about something bigger than that? People have watched their fair share of blockbusters coming and fading since the inception of cinema. Then, there’s Avatar. In 2009, James Cameron proved that he is much more than just the helmer of a classic watery love story. His highly ambitious and visually breathtaking sci-fi saga is still the highest-grossing film of all time, despite losing the title to Avengers: Endgame for a brief period. And this scenario takes us to our article. Avatar 2 doesn’t deserve to be called a typical Hollywood blockbuster. Why? Let’s find out!
What makes Avatar 2 different from the rest of the blockbusters?
The hype encircling Avatar 2 is colossal. And it will augment with every passing day until it premieres in December this year. For some people, it is even bigger than Endgame’s hype. Yes, this scenario looks wild. But it also makes sense. The sequel has been in gestation for so long. Additionally, its predecessor has left a near-unsurpassable legacy. All these things make Avatar 2 a unique blockbuster, defying all the metrics of a traditional blockbuster.
Cameron started discussing the potential sequels even before the release of the first Avatar film. He took a long time (which was also quite torturous) to develop the scripts for the sequels and the underwater scenes. All this, in addition to various other reasons, made the fans wait for more than a decade to get Avatar 2.
Will Avatar 2 end up like other Hollywood sequels?
The majority of movie sequels in Hollywood have failed to live up to the standards set by their predecessors. Some of them turned out to be financial duds, while others lacked the things that made the original entries memorable. Will Avatar 2 suffer from the same fate?
The first Avatar film was more of a visual splendour. Most importantly, it struggled in terms of storyline. The movie’s plot looked derivative and offered nothing completely out-of-the-box. That’s why Avatar 2 has a fantastic opportunity to outperform its predecessor, both critically and financially (maybe not financially *nervous laugh*). Both the film’s teaser and trailer show Jake and his family trying to stay together and going to great lengths to protect each other and their home. It shows that family is your biggest strength but also your worst vulnerability, especially if you have children. Cameron must have taken full advantage of this arc in the upcoming sequel.
Still, the danger of a ‘not-so-good’ sequel looms over Avatar 2.
What does success mean for Avatar 2?
Imagine Avatar 2 crossing the prestigious $2 billion mark at the global box office, which it can do effortlessly. Still, it will be considered a disappointment as its predecessor currently stands at $2.9 billion. That’s what James Cameron’s sequel will deal with after getting released worldwide. However, it may gain a better critical response than the first film, which we think is enough to silence the haters.
James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water will come out in theatres globally on December 16. It stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, and many more. Stay tuned for more updates.