In a blockbuster-packed week, “Avatar: Fire and Ash” launched with a worldwide haul of $345 million, according to studio estimates released Sunday. The film’s domestic opening of $88 million and international $257 million marked the second-best global debut of 2025, trailing only “Zootopia 2,” which pulled in $497.2 million over three days.
A Legacy of Longevity
The third entry in James Cameron’s science-fiction saga follows a tradition of marathon earnings. “Avatar” (2009) opened with $77 million domestically and ultimately earned $2.92 billion worldwide. “The Way of Water” (2022) added $2.3 billion globally, launching at $435 million worldwide and $134 million in North America. “Fire and Ash” now sits at a domestic $88 million, a 35 percent drop from its predecessor, yet it has already surpassed both earlier films in China, where its $57.6 million opening weekend eclipsed the two prior movies.
Mixed Reviews, Strong Word-of-Mouth
Critics have been less enthusiastic: the film earned a series-low 68 % “fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, audiences have responded positively, giving the film an “A” CinemaScore. In interviews, Cameron has repeatedly said that “Fire and Ash” must perform well to keep the franchise alive, noting that films four and five are written but not yet greenlit.
The Power of Premium Formats
Premium viewing has helped the film’s early numbers. Premium-format showings accounted for 66 % of the opening weekend, and 56 % of moviegoers chose 3D. Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore, commented: “James Cameron is not known for his low budget movies. You can’t exactly create the world of Pandora on the cheap. If you’re going to have a 3D movie, an epic film that’s three hours and 17 minutes, it’s a huge buy-in of money, time, resources, and then you have to hope the audience wants to once again go along on that ride.”
Competing Releases
The opening weekend also featured three other wide releases. Lionsgate’s “The Housemaid” opened to $19 million from 3,015 theaters, while Angel Studios’ “David” earned $22 million from 3,118 theaters, marking the best opening for the Christian-oriented studio. Paramount’s “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants” pulled in $16 million from 3,557 theaters.
Holiday Window and Upcoming Films
“Fire and Ash” stands to benefit from the lucrative holiday movie-going corridor. Starting Dec. 25, the market will also see A24’s “Marty Supreme,” Focus Features’ “Song Sung Blue,” and Sony’s “Anaconda.” “Marty Supreme” opened in six theaters over the weekend, grossing $875,000 ($145,000 per theater) and setting the best per-theater average of the year and since 2016 for A24.
Domestic Box-Office Rankings
According to Comscore, the top ten domestic releases for the week are:
- “Avatar: Fire and Ash” – $88 million
- “David” – $22 million
- “The Housemaid” – $19 million
- “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants” – $16 million
- “Zootopia 2” – $14.5 million
- “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” – $7.3 million
- “Wicked: For Good” – $4.3 million
- “Dhurandhar” – $2.5 million
- “Marty Supreme” – $875,000
- “Hamnet” – $850,000
## Behind the Scenes
Zoe Saldaña recently spoke about receiving a random call to shoot scenes for “Avatar 3” and about her role in her husband Marco Perego’s film “The Absence of Eden.” Her comments highlight the continued interest in the franchise among its cast.
Key Takeaways
- “Avatar: Fire and Ash” opened to $345 million worldwide, the second-best debut of 2025.
- Domestic sales fell 35 percent from the previous film, but strong international numbers and premium format showings have bolstered the opening.
- The film’s future hinges on sustained ticket sales, with Cameron warning that subsequent installments depend on its performance.
As the holiday season approaches, “Fire and Ash” will face a crowded field, but its early momentum-particularly in China and through premium formats-positions it for a strong run if it can maintain audience interest beyond the opening weekend.
