Avatar Experience Coming to Disneyland, Disney CEO Bob Iger Reveals
During the same earnings conference call in which Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that the company will lay off 7,000 workers to cut costs, he also announced that the hit franchise Avatar is coming to Disneyland.
Iger, 71, who returned as CEO in November 2022 to replace the embattled Bob Chapek, revealed that the new project will be called the Avatar Experience (via Deadline).
While he didn’t reveal any details, adding that more details will be coming “coming soon,” the move comes as Avatar: The Way of Water approaches $2.2 billion at the worldwide box office.
The original Avatar was released by 20th Century Fox in 2009, becoming the biggest film at the domestic ($749.9 million) and global ($2.743 billion) box office.
The film, its sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, and the other upcoming sequels are now under the Disney banner after the studio’s purchase of 20th Century Fox (now branded as 20th Century Studios), which was completed in 2019.
Disneyland: During the same earnings conference call where Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that the company is laying off 7,000 workers to cut costs, he also announced that the hit franchise Avatar is coming to Disneyland.
Bob: Iger, 71, who returned as CEO in November 2022 to replace the embattled Bob Chapek, revealed the new project will be dubbed the Avatar Experience (via Deadline).
Big hit: While he didn’t reveal any details, adding that more details will be coming, ‘coming soon,’ the move comes as Avatar: The Way of Water approaches $2.2 billion at the worldwide box office.
Iger said during the conference call that Avatar is now a “core franchise” for the company, adding that it “has a way of leveraging success” in various businesses.
Avatar: The Way of Water is currently the second-highest film at the domestic box office with $638.6 million, behind Paramount’s Top Gun: Maverick ($718.7 million).
It is, however, by far the biggest movie at the global box office, coming in at $2.177 billion by leaps and bounds over the next competitor, Top Gun: Maverick ($1.488 billion).
Disney will also release even more sequels from director James Cameron, with Avatar 3 slated for December 20, 2024, Avatar 4 for December 18, 2026, and Avatar 5 for December 22, 2028.
While Disney is cutting costs on the movie and television studio front, its Parks division continues to fuel the company’s growth.
Disney Parks revenue for the fiscal first quarter reached $8.8 billion, an increase of 21%, with profit rising 25% to $3 billion.
As for the Avatar experience, it’s unclear if it will use locations and experiences from both movies or not.
The original Avatar followed a paraplegic Marine named Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) who is chosen for a bizarre mission to infiltrate the mysterious world of Pandora via an avatar, giving him full use of his body again.
Core: Iger said during the conference call that Avatar is now a “core franchise” for the company, adding that it “has a way of leveraging success” in various businesses.
Sequel: Avatar: The Way of Water is currently the second-highest film at the domestic box office with $638.6 million, behind Paramount’s Top Gun: Maverick ($718.7 million).
Global: It is, however, by far the biggest movie at the global box office, with $2.177 billion by leaps and bounds over the next competitor, Top Gun: Maverick ($1.488 billion)
More Sequels: Disney will also be releasing even more sequels from director James Cameron, with Avatar 3 slated for December 20, 2024, Avatar 4 slated for December 18, 2026, and Avatar 5 on December 22, 2028.
During his time on Pandora, he bonds with Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) and it is revealed in the sequel that they have created a family together in the 16 years since the events of the first film.
The sequel The Way of Water explores new realms of Pandora as Jake and Neytiri try to protect their family from a familiar threat.
Worthington and Saldana, Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang return for the sequel alongside franchise newcomers Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis and Edie Falco.
Bond: During his time on Pandora, he bonds with Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) and it is revealed in the sequel that they have created a family together in the 16 years since the events of the first film.
Cast: Worthington and Saldana, Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang return for the sequel alongside franchise newcomers Kate Winslet (left), Cliff Curtis (right) and Edie Falco