James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar: Fire and Ash continues to dominate the North American box office, pulling in an estimated $64 million over the weekend following Christmas. The third installment in the Avatar franchise stars Zoe Saldana as Na’vi warrior Neytiri and Sam Worthington as ex-Marine Jake Sully, who face a new threat endangering their family on Pandora. Worldwide, the film has grossed approximately $217.6 million during the same period.
Disney’s animated sequel Zootopia 2 climbed from number five to number two, earning $20 million, while Timothée Chalamet’s period sports drama Marty Supreme surged from tenth to third place with weekend earnings of $17.5 million. David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research described the performance as “an excellent opening for a sports drama” and noted strong audience reception with a B+ CinemaScore.
Lionsgate’s thriller The Housemaid, starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, slipped one spot to fourth, earning $15.4 million. Meanwhile, Sony’s action-comedy Anaconda, featuring Paul Rudd and Jack Black, debuted at number five with $14.5 million, marking a slightly stronger start than the original 2004 release.
The remainder of the top ten weekend box office rankings included:
- David – $12.6 million
- The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants – $11.2 million
- Song Sung Blue – $7.6 million
- Wicked: For Good – $5.2 million
- Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 – $4.4 million
The holiday season has provided a boost for these releases, with audiences flocking to theaters to enjoy both blockbuster spectacles and family-friendly films. Analysts predict continued strong performance for Avatar: Fire and Ash and other key releases as the new year begins.
