James Cameron’s science fiction sequel “Avatar: Fire and Ash” remained firmly at the top of the North American box office over the Christmas holiday period, adding $88 million in ticket sales since Christmas Day.
The film earned $64 million over the traditional three-day weekend, bringing its domestic total to $217.7 million after two weekends. Globally, the film has now reached $760 million, reinforcing expectations that it will dominate cinemas into the new year.
The performance represents a modest 28% drop from its opening weekend, a stronger hold than 2022’s “Avatar: The Way of Water,” which saw a steeper decline after debuting to a larger opening. Industry analysts expect the film to remain in the top spot for several more weeks, following the pattern of the previous two “Avatar” releases.
Marty Supreme Delivers Major Win for A24
Among new releases, A24’s sports dramedy “Marty Supreme” recorded the strongest debut. The film earned $17.4 million over the weekend and $27.1 million across the four-day holiday frame, placing it third overall.
The opening marks A24’s second-biggest debut, behind only Alex Garland’s “Civil War.” Starring Timothée Chalamet as a fictional table tennis champion, the film benefited from positive reviews, strong word-of-mouth and a marketing push led heavily by its star.
The R-rated film received a “B+” CinemaScore, with around 65% of its audience aged 35 or younger. Produced for approximately $70 million, the film is expected to continue drawing audiences in the coming weeks.
Other New Releases Post Solid Results
Sony’s action comedy “Anaconda” opened in fifth place, earning $14.6 million over the weekend and $23.7 million since Christmas. The film, starring Jack Black and Paul Rudd, also added $20 million internationally, bringing its worldwide opening to $43.7 million. Audience and critic reactions were mixed.
The musical drama “Song Sung Blue,” directed by Craig Brewer and starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, debuted in eighth place with $7.6 million for the weekend and $12 million over four days. The film earned an “A” CinemaScore, with older audiences and women making up the majority of ticket buyers.
Zootopia 2 and Holdovers Stay Strong
Disney’s animated sequel “Zootopia 2” climbed back to second place in its fifth weekend, earning $20 million over the weekend and $25.2 million since Christmas. The film has now grossed $320 million domestically and $1.42 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing Hollywood release of the year.
Lionsgate’s thriller “The Housemaid,” starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, took fourth place with $15.4 million over the weekend, lifting its domestic total to $46.6 million.
Year-End Box Office Falls Short of $9 Billion
With only days remaining in 2025, the total domestic box office stands at $8.76 billion, slightly ahead of last year but still well below pre-pandemic levels. Final annual revenue is expected to reach $8.87 billion, according to Comscore.
Despite a strong holiday finish led by “Avatar: Fire and Ash” and “Zootopia 2,” the industry is set to miss the $9 billion annual benchmark for another year.
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