How is “the powers that be” used?

In Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), one line is: “The powers that be thought it prudent that I do this backup just in case.”

Which movie is “the powers that be” from?

The clip at the top of this page is from Avatar: The Way of Water (2022).

The powers that be thought it prudent that I do this backup just in case.

8 作品で登場 · 1 本目

the people who control an organization, a country, etc.

皮肉 · 12 本の映画に登場

オックスフォード映画の 100%
the people who control an organization, a country, etc.
The powers that be thought it prudent that I do this backup just in case.

定義：Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary 第 9 版