The world box office welcomed 2023 with the Na’vi still at the top of the charts. James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water merrily rang in the New Year to the tune of $1.379 billion globally.

The overseas market contributed a big chunk – $957 million – to that worldwide total so far. The New Year weekend netted $186.7 million in over 50 offshore territories for the Avatar sequel.

After less-than-hoped-for opening figures in China, Avatar 2 – which features a mix of new and returning cast members, including Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Cliff Curtis, and Jemaine Clement – saw a significant increase in ticket sales.

The world’s biggest movie market posted $36.9 million for the film on 2023’s first weekend and added to The Way of Water’s cume in that country to $152.8 million.

Other top offshore revenue sources for the second of Cameron’s planned Avatar installments (at least three more are projected) are Italy, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Korea, France, India, Germany, Spain, and Australia. At the rate the international market is lapping up the new film set in Pandora’s reefs, Avatar 2 will reach the $1 billion overseas milestone this week.

In the meantime, Cameron’s foray back into the 3D mystical world of Pandora is smashing records – overseas, it is now the 13^th biggest all-time hit and globally, it is the 15^th biggest ever moneymaker, surpassing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.

Another Hollywood movie, the animated Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, also got the coveted release opportunity in China. But so far, the Puss in Boots sequel, with Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek back leading the voice cast, earned just $1.2 million in that country.

Overall, the DreamWorks Animation release collected $22.5 million for an international cume of $68.8 million.

The Last Wish, directed and co-directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, respectively, is faring better in other territories, especially in France, Australia, Central America, New Zealand, Indonesia, Germany, and Italy.

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody, tapping the international appeal of the late singer to this day, has tallied $13.1 million in more than 40 markets so far. Naomi Ackie stars as the popular pop and R&B vocalist in the biopic that costars Stanley Tucci (Clive Davis), Ashton Sanders (Bobby Brown) and Nafessa Williams (Robyn Crawford).

In the domestic market, Avatar 2 reigned, too – no surprise – and reached the $400 million mark. The three-day weekend fetched $63.4 million. As this story is being written, Cameron’s latest blockbuster is expected to surpass Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s North American total earnings of 439.6 million.

Another sequel, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, ranked second with grosses that actually improved the opening weekend numbers – $16.3 million.

Wakanda Forever bounced back to number three with $4.83 million. As 2022 ended, the cinematic sendoff to Chadwick Boseman and his T’Challa character became the second biggest domestic hit, following Tom Cruise’s Top Gun: Maverick.

The rest of the magic five positions were taken by I Wanna Dance with Somebody ($4.25 million) and Babylon, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie’s early Hollywood saga ($2.7 million).

The remaining top 10 movies were, in order: Violent Night ($2.1 million); The Whale ($1.33 million); The Fabelmans ($1.14 million); The Menu ($1.07 million); and Strange World ($538,000).