“Avatar: The Way of Water” was a distant second in its tenth weekend, taking in another $6.1 million. That was just enough to put it past “Titanic” (which was at number seven this weekend thanks to its current re-release) as the third biggest movie ever globally, with $2.243 billion to its name. Director James Cameron owns three of the top four spots on that list, with the original “Avatar” still ranking as the highest-grossing movie ever, while “Avengers: Endgame” sits in the number two spot. Who knows? Maybe Cameron will own all five of the top slots after the “Avatar” sequels run their course.
The number three spot this week went to “Magic Mike’s Last Dance,” which dropped just 35% from its opening last weekend. It also expanded into more than 3,000 screens, with Warner Bros. seemingly trying to give this one a fairer shake. Unfortunately, with just shy of $39 million to its name globally thus far, that $40 million budget is going to be tough to justify. A bummer, to be sure.
Meanwhile, “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” added $5.26 million in weekend nine while crossing $423.3 million worldwide. It has passed “Sing 2” ($408 million) and has a real shot at $450 million. Remarkable stuff, given its long legs. Rounding out the top five was M. Night Shyamalan’s “Knock at the Cabin,” which added $3.9 million, bringing its worldwide total to $47.8 million. With a $20 million budget, it still needs to probably get closer to $60 million to become profitable, but it’s at least going to get close.
Looking ahead, Universal’s “Cocaine Bear” hits theaters this upcoming weekend and should make for a very interesting battle at the box office, to say the very least of it.
Top 10 movies at the box office for February 17-19, 2023:
1. “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” – $105.5 million
2. “Avatar: The Way of Water” – $6.1 million
3. “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” – $5.5 million
4. “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” – $5.26 million
5. “Knock at the Cabin” – $3.9 million
6. “80 for Brady” – $3.75 million
7. “Titanic” (re-release) – $2.41 million
8. “Marlowe” – $1.91 million
9. “Missing” – $1.72 million
10. “A Man Called Otto” – $1.6 million