10 Movies You Were Totally Wrong About

The discourse leading up to the release of Avatar: The Way of Water was nothing short of fascinating.

Even though Avatar is the highest-grossing film of all time, many have since cited its lack of apparent "cultural impact" in the decade-plus since, and so cast doubt on James Cameron managing to lure audiences back for a second go-around.

With 13 years since the last movie, and audience appetites having changed substantially since, industry analysts and film fans alike expected Avatar 2 to turn a far more modest profit than its predecessor, perhaps somewhere in the $1-1.5 billion arena.

But it bears repeating again: don't bet against James Cameron.

At the time of press, The Way of Water is closing in on $2.2 billion worldwide, which will see it overtake Titanic to become the third highest-grossing film of all time, behind Avatar and Avengers: Endgame.

It's an astonishing result for any film, but a 13-years-later sequel to a film which generated mixed responses from many, and hasn't made much of a perceived cultural footprint? It's practically miraculous.

There's probably a lesson here about cultural impact extending beyond the bounds of Twitter and merchandising, and that while the Chronically Online might like to argue about Avatar until they're as blue as a Na'vi, the quieter masses evidently have a lot of love for the world Cameron has created.

It's only inevitable that the skepticism will peak again shortly before the release of Avatar 3, apparently coming in late 2024, before Big Money Jim silences the doubters once more.