Opening this weekend, James Cameron’s “Deepsea Challenge 3D” opened in 304 theaters nationwide and sank straight to the bottom with its debut. The film only averaged $485 per-screen. With Cameron’s name attached, the numbers weren’t expected to be at “Titanic” or “Avatar” levels, but it did underperform especially since the film had a vast amount of pre-opening publicity.
The previous IMAX documentaries “Ghosts of the Abyss” and “Aliens of the Deep” did very well at the box office. 2003’s “Ghosts of the Abyss” earned $22 million worldwide, while 2005’s “Aliens of the Deep” brought in more than $12 million. The saving grace in this fiasco is that Cameron did direct the aforementioned two documentaries, while John Bruno, Andrew Wight and Ray Quint directed the current film. So, Cameron’s directing record can remain untarnished.
Although Cameron’s name is used in the title for advertising purposes, he does lead the way in the film in exploring the oceans’ dark chilling depths.
Here is the storyline for the underwater documentary.
“DEEPSEA CHALLENGE 3D” follows the dramatic story of James Cameron’s odyssey as he undertakes an expedition to the deepest part of the ocean. This is a journey of historic proportion and risk. The film will mesmerize viewers of all ages with the thrill of true discovery and the allure of the unknown, of new life forms, and of vistas never before captured on camera – all right here on planet Earth.
Currently, Cameron is working on the three “Avatar” sequels for 20th Century Fox. The first of these sequels is expected to open in theaters sometime in December of 2016.
Sources: The Wrap, IMDb