Avatar Generates Tremendous Numbers Globally In Opening Weekend

While blizzards on the East Coast of the United States played a role in preventing “Avatar” from achieving monumental levels of success domestically, James Cameron’s latest creation was an overwhelming success globally at the box office. The film generated an impressive $73 million in the United States and Canada but managed to generate an even more staggering $232 million worldwide. The opening weekend numbers support early predictions that were made by film experts about the popularity “Avatar” would have overseas.

According to The Los Angeles Times, Cameron’s “Avatar” spent approximately $430 million from its production and marketing budgets. The $73 million that were generated at North American box offices come just short of the all-time record for December, which is held by 2007’s “I Am Legend” with $77.2 million domestically. An underlying factor behind the respectable, though underwhelming, box office numbers in North America was the detrimental weather in the East Coast and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.

The worldwide box office forecast for “Avatar” remains incredibly strong due to the fact that the film has yet to be released in two of the largest projected markets, which are China and Japan. The Los Angeles Times is reporting that “Avatar” opens in China on January 2, 2010 while Cameron’s highly anticipated film opens in Japan on Wednesday December 23rd.