James Cameron’s cinematic juggernaut, Avatar: Fire and Ash, has once again proven that moviegoers’ appetite for the epic saga is anything but waning. Over the Christmas holiday weekend of 2025, the third installment in the Avatar franchise blazed past its rivals, raking in an additional $64 million domestically and cementing its dominance at the top of the box office charts, according to Box Office Mojo and multiple industry estimates.
Since its debut just a week prior, Fire and Ash has tallied a staggering $760 million in global receipts, with $542.7 million of that haul coming from overseas markets. This performance not only solidifies the film’s place as a blockbuster but also propels the entire Avatar trilogy into the record books as the only movie trilogy to have surpassed the $6 billion mark in total worldwide earnings, as reported by industry analysts and highlighted in recent coverage by Screen Rant.
The numbers are hard to ignore. In North America alone, Fire and Ash posted a mere 28% drop from its $89 million opening weekend, a retention rate that would make most studios envious. Over the full Christmas holiday, the film added $88 million domestically, while internationally, it brought in a hefty $181.2 million, representing less than a 30% decline—a testament to the film’s broad appeal and staying power.
Disney’s animated sequel Zootopia 2 was no slouch, reclaiming the #2 spot with $20 million over the same weekend, demonstrating the enduring appeal of family-friendly fare during the holidays. Meanwhile, new releases jockeyed for position: A24’s Marty Supreme, starring Timothée Chalamet as an ambitious ping pong player and con artist, debuted at #3 with just under $15.6 million, while Anaconda, featuring Paul Rudd and Jack Black, landed at #5 with $14.55 million. Song Sung Blue, a heartfelt drama about a Neil Diamond tribute band, arrived at #8 with $7.6 million and is already generating Oscar buzz for Kate Hudson’s performance alongside Hugh Jackman.
Rounding out the top 10 for the holiday period were The Housemaid ($15.4 million), David ($12.7 million), The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants ($11.2 million), Wicked: For Good ($5.3 million), and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 ($4.4 million), according to ABC News and The Tribune.
But the story behind Avatar: Fire and Ash is about more than just the numbers. Director James Cameron, no stranger to box office glory—his original 2009 Avatar still reigns as the highest-grossing film of all time with over $2.9 billion—has used the platform of his latest release to spark conversation about the real-world parallels embedded in his narrative. In recent interviews, Cameron drew direct connections between the cycle of retaliation depicted in Fire and Ash and ongoing global conflicts, including those in Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine.
“The cycle of retaliation driving my storyline is recognisable worldwide,” Cameron said on a podcast, as reported by The Tribune. He insisted that action cinema should “acknowledge consequences rather than glamourise destruction,” emphasizing that “the moral high ground rarely prevents conflict from escalating.” He pointed to the film’s fictional pacifist species, the Tulkun, as an allegory for societies that strive for peace yet are sometimes forced into existential battles when their survival is at stake.
Cameron also revealed that he made a significant change to the film’s ending during production. A proposed sequence in which protagonist Jake Sully distributes human weapons to Pandora’s tribes was scrapped because it too closely mirrored colonial history. “I rewrote the ending to avoid colonial parallels that would undercut the story’s ethical arguments,” Cameron explained, underscoring his commitment to thoughtful storytelling even in the midst of blockbuster spectacle.
Despite its pacifist undertones, the fate of the Avatar saga remains tethered to its commercial performance. Cameron has been candid about the franchise’s future, suggesting that if Fire and Ash fails to justify further sequels, the saga could end prematurely. However, with the film’s robust early earnings—having already crossed the $500 million mark worldwide within its first week—those fears seem increasingly remote. Cameron even teased that, should the studio opt not to proceed, he might reveal the planned plots for the fourth and fifth films to the public, possibly as novels for the series’ devoted audience.
Producer Jon Landau previously hinted that the fifth film would take the Na’vi to Earth, dramatically expanding the scope of the narrative. And with Fire and Ash’s production costs soaring north of $400 million, the stakes for continued success are high. Yet, as the numbers roll in, it appears the franchise is more than justifying its colossal investment.
The performance of other contenders at the box office also speaks to the diversity of offerings during the holiday season. Marty Supreme received glowing reviews, with David A Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research calling it “an excellent opening for a sports drama” and noting its “sensational” critical reception and strong audience scores. Anaconda, a reboot of the cult classic, was praised as “a solid opening for a horror remake,” outpacing its 2004 predecessor.
Meanwhile, Song Sung Blue is quietly building momentum, with industry observers noting its potential as an awards-season dark horse. The holiday frame, traditionally a lucrative period for studios, has seen a healthy mix of returning favorites and promising newcomers, all vying for audience attention in a crowded marketplace.
Looking ahead, Cameron’s ambitions for the Avatar universe remain undimmed. He has long stated his intention to craft a five-film saga, with the fourth installment slated for 2029 and reportedly closely tied to the fifth. If current trends hold, and if the next two sequels come to fruition, industry analysts speculate the franchise could approach the $9 billion mark—or even $10 billion—by the time the dust settles. That’s a figure that would have seemed unthinkable just a decade ago.
For now, though, Avatar: Fire and Ash stands as a testament to the enduring power of big-screen spectacle, thoughtful storytelling, and the unique vision of a director who continues to redefine what’s possible at the movies. As 2025 draws to a close, the film’s reign atop the box office shows little sign of abating—and neither does the fervor of its global fanbase.
