‘Avatar’ sequel ranks fourth all-time high in global sales

LOS ANGELES: “Avatar: The Way of Water” continued to dominate the box-office charts, taking in an estimated $15.7 million this weekend in North American theaters to make it the fourth-leading global grosser of all time.

The Disney/20thCentury sci-fi film, directed by James Cameron, “has been #1 for 7 straight weeks... a feat that hasn´t been accomplished” since Cameron issued the original “Avatar” in 2009, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said on Twitter.

Hefty results from theaters around the world -- including $237 million in ticket sales in China -- helped boost “The Way of Water” to fourth place globally all-time at $2.117 billion, unadjusted for inflation. That means Cameron now has his name on three of the four top grossers ever: the original “Avatar,” “Titanic” and “The Way of Water” (“Avengers: Endgame” from Disney and Marvel sneaks in at second).

In second place for the North American weekend was Universal´s family-friendly “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” at $10.6 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period. In third, up two spots from last weekend, was Sony´s feel-good “A Man Called Otto,” at $6.8 million. Tom Hanks plays the title curmudgeon in the adaptation of Swedish novel “A Man Called Ove.”

Scary-doll thriller “M3GAN” from Universal and Blumhouse Productions took in $6.4 million to place fourth. It has an android doll, created as a companion to a young orphan, turning steadily creepier. And Yash Raj Films´ new action thriller “Pathaan” placed fifth at $5.9 million, an impressive North American total for a Hindi-language film.