James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” remained at the top of the North American box office for a second weekend, earning $22.6 million on Friday as the busy post-Christmas movie season continued.
The Disney release, the third film in the “Avatar” series, saw a 39% drop from its opening day last week, a typical decline after a holiday debut. Since Christmas Day, the film has made $46.6 million domestically and is expected to reach $75 million to $80 million by Sunday. Total North American earnings are forecast to rise to $176 million by the end of the week.
In second place on Friday was A24’s “Marty Supreme,” starring Timothée Chalamet, which earned $6.7 million from 2,668 cinemas. The film has grossed $16.2 million since Christmas and is projected to reach $30 million by Sunday. Directed by Josh Safdie, the film follows a fictional table tennis prodigy and has benefited from strong word-of-mouth and a high-profile promotional campaign.
Disney’s “Zootopia 2” climbed to third place with $6.7 million, boosted by school holidays and family audiences. The animated sequel is expected to add $20 million by the end of the weekend, taking its domestic total to around $308 million, despite being released a month ago.
Sony’s “Anaconda” ranked fourth with $5.4 million on Friday. The adventure comedy, starring Jack Black and Paul Rudd, has performed well over the holiday period and is expected to reach $22 million by Sunday. The film is a meta reimagining of the 1997 original, featuring Ice Cube reprising his role as himself.
Rounding out the top five was “The Housemaid,” a psychological thriller starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried. The film earned $5.2 million on Friday and is on track to reach a $45 million domestic total by the end of the weekend.
With several major releases in play, the post-Christmas period continues to deliver strong results for cinemas across North America.
