Having spent seven weeks at the top of of the domestic box office charts – during which time it became the fourth highest-grossing movie in the history of cinema on a global scale – Avatar: The Way of Water was always going to be dislodged at some point in February, but few expected it to be knocked down to third.
Never underestimate the power of old ladies and absolute units, then, with M. Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cabin and star-studded comedy 80 for Brady debuting in first and second position respectively, sending James Cameron’s blockbuster sci-fi sequel down a peg or two after spending close to two months as the undisputed reigning champion.
Led by a stellar performance from Dave Bautista, Shyamalan’s latest nabbed $14.2 million to give the filmmaker his seventh number one opening, not a bad return for someone who’s experienced the dizzying highs and crushing lows that Hollywood has to offer during the course of his roller-coaster career.
Backed by a buzzy marketing campaign and feelgood factor, 80 for Brady wasn’t too far behind, with the star-studded ensemble flick netting $12.5 million out of the gate to prove that fare geared specifically towards older audiences still has a place in a market that’s become increasingly swamped by genre and IP-driven fare.
Not that Cameron is going to need to wipe away any tears with all that money he’s made, seeing as The Way of Water has soared past $2 billion to ensure that of the four top-earning titles of all-time, 75 percent of them have been directed by the King of the World.