December 22, 2025 | Box Office Report
James Cameron's Avatar: Fire and Ash has set the box office ablaze this weekend with a $345 million global opening, marking the second-highest Hollywood opening of 2025 and proving once again that audiences worldwide are eager to return to Pandora.
Released on December 19, 2025, the third installment in the groundbreaking sci-fi franchise opened with $88 million domestically from 3,800 North American theaters. While this falls short of Avatar: The Way of Water's $134 million domestic debut, the international performance has exceeded expectations with a stunning $257 million from overseas markets.
The three Avatar films have now collectively earned over $5.6 billion worldwide, cementing the franchise's position as one of the most lucrative in cinema history. With this weekend's performance, Disney has reached $5.82 billion worldwide for 2025 and is projected to surpass the $6 billion mark this week—the best post-COVID annual global haul for any Hollywood studio.
The film dominated across Asia-Pacific markets, where it opened at No. 1 in all territories except Japan (where Zootopia 2 continues to reign). The region contributed $60.1 million over the opening weekend, excluding China.
China emerged as the top international market with an impressive $57.6 million opening, surpassing the previous film's performance in the crucial Asian market. This strong showing demonstrates Hollywood's renewed connection with Chinese audiences following the record-breaking success of Zootopia 2.
The film achieved remarkable milestones throughout the region:
Across Europe, Fire and Ash amassed $109.4 million, opening at No. 1 in all markets. The film achieved the highest opening of 2025 in France, Germany, Spain, and numerous smaller territories.
Top European markets included:
IMAX screenings generated $43.6 million globally in the opening weekend, representing IMAX's biggest opening of 2025 and the fifth-biggest IMAX debut in history. Premium formats, including IMAX and 3D, accounted for an impressive 56% of all tickets sold—a testament to Cameron's insistence on pushing theatrical technology forward.
Cameron himself has championed the theatrical experience, stating in a recent CNN interview, "The theater is a sacred space for me as a filmmaker. It's never going to go away. But I think it could fall below a threshold where the kinds of movies that I like to make won't be sustainable."
Despite the lower-than-expected North American opening, industry analysts remain optimistic about Fire and Ash's long-term prospects. The film's runtime of 3 hours and 17 minutes (the longest in the franchise) may have limited initial showings, but Cameron's previous two Avatar films demonstrated remarkable legs at the box office.
The original Avatar opened to $77 million domestically in 2009 but went on to gross $2.92 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time. Avatar: The Way of Water followed a similar trajectory, ultimately earning $2.34 billion to become the third-highest-grossing film ever.
With 10 markets still yet to open—including Hong Kong (January 8), Japan, and other territories—the film has substantial room for growth. If Fire and Ash follows the pattern of its predecessors and passes $2 billion, Avatar would become the first blockbuster franchise in history to achieve three installments all exceeding $2 billion.
Avatar: Fire and Ash introduces audiences to new regions of Pandora, including the volcanic territories of the "Ash People," led by the fierce warrior Varang (Oona Chaplin). The film continues the story of Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) as they protect their family from new threats.
The cast also includes returning favorites Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang, alongside new additions Michelle Yeoh as human scientist Dr. Karina Mogue and David Thewlis. Cameron has already shot portions of Avatar 4, though he has indicated the franchise's future depends on Fire and Ash's ultimate performance.
Fire and Ash's opening arrives at a critical moment for the film industry. While the $345 million global launch is impressive, it represents the challenges facing even the biggest franchises in an era of streaming competition and changing theatrical attendance patterns.
However, the film's strong international showing—particularly in Asia—demonstrates that event cinema still commands significant audience attention. The success in markets like South Korea, China, and Southeast Asia reflects the growing importance of international audiences for Hollywood's biggest spectacles.
As theaters continue to invest in premium experiences—with $1.5 billion in upgrades over the past year, according to Cinema United—films like Avatar: Fire and Ash justify those investments by delivering experiences that cannot be replicated at home.
With the holiday season providing a long runway and strong word-of-mouth building, Avatar: Fire and Ash looks poised to burn bright well into 2026. Cameron's vision of Pandora continues to captivate global audiences, proving that when it comes to cinematic spectacle, there's still no place like the theater.
