Avatar 2 may singlehandedly revive an interest among moviegoers for 3D theatrical experiences, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Response to the long-awaited sequel was astronomical, whose first trailer was released earlier this month and within 24 hours hit nearly 150 million views.

The upcoming blockbuster sequel, whose full name is Avatar 2: The Way of Water, is due in theaters on December 16, 2022. The movie will be massive for many reasons, but the confluence of a wait since 2009 for a proper sequel and that the franchise's first movie being the first time people wore 3D glasses, means many in the industry are imagining both a resurgence of the 3D format--and also, hopefully, a bigger return for audiences to theaters overall.

Avatar 2's trailer first premiered before showings of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness before making its way online, and The Hollywood Reporter says nearly 10 percent of moviegoers in North America opted to pay 20 to 30 percent more for a 3D ticket, "an unheard-of jump for a format that many had written off even before the COVID-19 crisis."