'Avatar 2' is now top-grossing pandemic-era film, surpassing 'Spider Man'

Walt Disney Co.’s Avatar: The Way of Water passed Spider-Man: No Way Home to become the highest-grossing picture released during the pandemic.

The James Cameron-directed film has taken in $1.93 billion globally, Disney said in a statement on Wednesday. Sony Group’s Spider-Man, released in December 2021, generated $1.92 billion.

The spread of the Covid-19 virus prompted theaters globally to close and some moviegoers opted to avoid public indoor spaces even after they reopened. Still, a handful of movies have managed to break through and do business on a par with pre-pandemic levels.

The Way of Water is now the sixth-highest grossing movie of all time. Its predecessor, 2009’s Avatar, is No. 1 at $2.92 billion, according to BoxOfficeMojo. Cameron, who also directed 1997’s Titanic, is responsible for three of the top six.