'Avatar: The Way Of Water' Secures $16M Opening Day At Overseas Box Office

"Avatar: The Way of Water" had a $16 million opening day in different international markets this week.

The sequel to the groundbreaking 2009 film by James Cameron premiered in different international territories on Wednesday, and it quickly grossed $15.8 million from 15 reported markets, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Korea led the list of international markets that welcomed "Avatar 2" on the big screens. The movie sold $3.3 million worth of tickets in the country on its first day.

France came second with $2.9 million. The movie also debuted across Europe, including Italy and Sweden, where it opened straight at the No. 1 spot at the local box office.

The sci-fi flick is in previews outside the 15 reported markets, so the figure does not contain the earnings from those territories yet. In Mexico and Brazil, "Avatar 2" grossed $1.5 million and $1.0 million, respectively, from previews.

China had advanced screenings on Wednesday, earning $2.6 million from 1,688 showings ahead of its Friday opening.

The highly anticipated sequel will hit tens of thousands of cinemas around the world on Friday, including 4,100 locations in North America. Expectations are high for its domestic debut since the first installment became the top-grossing film of all time worldwide after raking in $2.92 billion in ticket sales during its run.

Unfortunately, Cameron won't be able to make it to the movie's Hollywood premiere this week. The 68-year-old filmmaker tested positive for COVID-19 last weekend.

"Jim has COVID but is feeling fine. He tested positive as part of a routine testing cadence. He will continue to complete his schedule virtually but will not be at the premiere," a Disney spokesperson told THR.

Last month, Cameron addressed the 13-year gap between the sequel and the first film. He also compared the franchise to "Star Wars" and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

"When you have extraordinary success, you come back within the next three years. That's just how the industry works. You come back to the well, and you build that cultural impact over time," he said.

Cameron then pointed out that if people don't remember the characters from the first film compared to the characters from the other franchises, it's because "Avatar" has been the only movie released in its fictional universe thus far.