Fire and Ash Smashes Box Office with $1 Billion Milestone

Key Takeaways

• "Avatar: Fire and Ash" has cleared $1 billion worldwide in three weeks of release
• The film has grossed $777.1 million internationally and $40 million in North American theaters over its third weekend
• "Zootopia 2" has amassed $1.59 billion in six weeks, making it Disney’s second highest-grossing animated movie ever
• The holiday season saw a surge in ticket sales, with films like "The Housemaid" and "Marty Supreme" performing well
• The movie industry is hopeful for a turnaround in 2026, with a release slate filled with marquee franchises

Introduction to the 2026 Box Office
The year 2026 has kicked off on a high note for Hollywood, with "Avatar: Fire and Ash" topping the box office for the third straight week. The film has cleared $1 billion worldwide in just three weeks of release, with $777.1 million of that coming from international markets. The third chapter in James Cameron’s Pandora epic collected $40 million over its third weekend in North American theaters, according to studio estimates. This impressive start to the year has raised hopes for a blockbuster-filled 2026, after a disappointing 2025.

The Success of "Avatar: Fire and Ash"
"Avatar: Fire and Ash" is doing its biggest business overseas, with the international market driving its success. The Walt Disney Co. has trumpeted the $1 billion milestone as "cementing another monumental achievement for James Cameron’s groundbreaking franchise." The film’s success is not limited to its opening weekends, as it has continued to perform well over the holidays. The whole week was a lucrative one for Hollywood, with most schools still out, and "Avatar: Fire and Ash" was the biggest beneficiary.

Other Holiday Season Hits
But "Avatar: Fire and Ash" was not the only film to perform well over the holidays. "Zootopia 2" has had remarkable staying power, landing in second place with $19 million, dipping a mere 4% from the previous weekend. The animated sequel has amassed $1.59 billion in six weeks, making it Disney’s second highest-grossing animated movie ever, trailing only 2019’s photorealistic "The Lion King" ($1.66 billion). Other films, such as "The Housemaid" and "Marty Supreme", also emerged as holiday-season hits. "The Housemaid" collected $14.9 million over the weekend, giving it $75.7 million domestically over three weeks, while "Marty Supreme" grossed an estimated $12.6 million.

The State of the Movie Industry
The movie industry is coming off a poor 2025, where domestic moviegoing continued to slide. U.S. and Canada ticket sales in 2025 amounted to $8.9 billion, a 2% increase from the year earlier, but about 20% below pre-pandemic levels. The industry is now awaiting a potentially seismic shift with Warner Bros., one of the most theatrical-friendly studios, agreeing to sell to Netflix. However, studios are cautiously optimistic that 2026 could be the best box-office year of the decade, with a release slate filled with marquee franchises, including new "Toy Story," "Avengers," "Spider-Man," "Super Mario Bros" and "Dune" movies.

The Top 10 Movies of the Week
The top 10 movies of the week, based on estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore, are:

1. "Avatar: Fire and Ash," $40 million.
2. "Zootopia 2," $19 million.
3. "The Housemaid," $14.9 million.
4. "Marty Supreme," $12.6 million.
5. "Anaconda," $10 million.
6. "The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants," $8.2 million.
7. "David," $8 million.
8. "Song Sung Blue," $5.9 million.
9. "Wicked: For Good," $3.3 million.
10. "Five Nights at Freddy’s 2," $2.7 million.

Conclusion and Future Prospects
In conclusion, the 2026 box office has started off strong, with "Avatar: Fire and Ash" leading the way. The success of other films, such as "Zootopia 2", "The Housemaid", and "Marty Supreme", has also contributed to the positive start to the year. With a release slate filled with marquee franchises, the movie industry is hopeful for a turnaround in 2026. However, the industry will need to continue to adapt to changing consumer habits and technological advancements in order to sustain this momentum. Only time will tell if 2026 will indeed be the best box-office year of the decade, but for now, the future looks bright for Hollywood.