Avatar: Fire and Ash claimed the top spot at the box office in its opening weekend, though its long-term performance remains to be seen. According to Deadline, the latest installment of the franchise grossed $88 million domestically, a figure below the $134 million debut of Avatar: The Way of Water, but higher than the $77 million opening of the original Avatar in 2009.
Internationally, the film posted a global opening of $345 million, including $57.6 million in China, marking the franchise’s strongest debut in that market. With those numbers, Fire and Ash delivered the second-largest worldwide opening for a Hollywood release, trailing only Zootopia 2, though it fell short of The Way of Water’s $441.6 million global launch.
Historically, the Avatar franchise has not been defined by its opening weekends alone. Previous installments did not lead their respective years out of the gate but demonstrated exceptional staying power, holding the number one spot for several consecutive weeks. With an A CinemaScore—matching the ratings earned by its predecessors—Fire and Ash is positioned to benefit from strong word of mouth and a sustained run through late December and into January. The key question is whether it will once again cross the $2 billion mark worldwide, though even a slightly lower total would still qualify the film as a commercial success.
Several factors may explain why Fire and Ash opened below The Way of Water. That sequel arrived 13 years after the original Avatar, tapping into a powerful sense of nostalgia and long-building anticipation. Fire and Ash, by contrast, arrives just three years later, resulting in a less concentrated initial demand. In addition, its 3-hour-and-17-minute runtime limits the number of daily screenings and reduces access to premium formats such as IMAX, Dolby, and 3D, which are key revenue drivers.
Competition also played a role. Unlike The Way of Water, Fire and Ash was not the sole major release in the pre-Christmas window. Angel Studios’ David opened in second place with $22 million, marking the studio’s biggest debut to date. The Housemaid, starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, followed in third with $19 million, while The SpongeBob Movie: The Search for SquarePants landed in fourth place with $16 million. Meanwhile, Marty Supreme grossed $875,000 from just six theaters, becoming the biggest limited release of 2025 and the strongest such debut since La La Land in 2016.
Overall, the results point to a healthy box office landscape, with a high-profile release that—true to the Avatar brand—will ultimately be judged less by its opening weekend and more by its sustained performance over time.