I think some times WOM doen’t effect that much about the leg
in China Spiderman:NWH have really bad WOM,bunch of people think the movie is totally trush and just selling the spiderman 20 years nostlgia,but as we see NWH have a great leg everywhere
Avatar 2 is same situation,I personally don’t like Avatar 2 that much,but the leg for Avatar is really good
I think sometimes leg is connect with ‘‘fame’’
Spiderman and Avatar are really widely-known brand all over the world,Almost everybody at least know what it is,so if the movie release,most normal people going to cinema ,you have two choice,the movie you already know ,or the movie you haven’t even heard of,which is the choice for most people?
Fame and brand recognition/awareness is another important factor for leg,if the fan rush effect the opening,the fame can effect the leg
But all this should depends on movie quality itself at the final,if the movie is really trush in most people’s eyes,then it will failed no matter how famous the brand is,for example Superman is very famous but the Man of steel’s box office is doesn’t match his fame
So fame can give help for leg,but not the only factor,the factor which effect leg is conplex