As part of its latest slate-wide shuffle, Disney will re-release “Avatar: The Way of Water” on Imax screens on October 3 ahead of the next chapter of James Cameron’s saga, “Fire and Ash,” in December.
The re-release takes over an Imax release slot that is currently being held by Lionsgate/Universal’s “Michael,” but which Lionsgate said in its earnings call on Thursday will be moved back to a date to be determined in 2026.
The return of “The Way of Water” also joins other shifts in Disney’s release schedule headlined by a mammoth move of the next two “Avengers” films, “Doomsday” and “Secret Wars,” from their traditional summer kickoff slots in May 2026 and 2027 to December of those respective years.
The May 2026 slot will be filled by 20th Century’s upcoming sequel to “The Devil Wears Prada” starring Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep.
“Avatar: The Way of Water” grossed $2.32 billion during its initial theatrical run during the holiday season of 2022, becoming one of the highest grossing films of all time. “Fire and Ash” is expected to have a similar run, challenging to become the eighth film in box office history to gross $2 billion-plus worldwide before inflation adjustment.
