“Fire and Ash” Surpasses $1 Billion Mark

Key Takeaways

• "Avatar: Fire and Ash" has cleared $1 billion worldwide in three weeks of release
• The movie has grossed $777.1 million internationally and $40 million in its third weekend in North American theaters
• "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 movies like "The Housemaid" and "Marty Supreme" performing well
• The movie industry is cautiously optimistic about 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 movie 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 accounting for the majority of its earnings. The Walt Disney Co. has trumpeted the $1 billion milestone as "cementing another monumental achievement for James Cameron’s groundbreaking franchise." The movie’s success is a significant boost to the industry, which is coming off a poor 2025. Domestic moviegoing continued to slide in 2025, with U.S. and Canada ticket sales amounting to $8.9 billion, a 2% increase from the year earlier, but about 20% below pre-pandemic levels.

Other Holiday Season Hits
But it wasn’t just "Avatar: Fire and Ash" that drove ticket sales over the holiday season. Other movies, such as "Zootopia 2", "The Housemaid", and "Marty Supreme", also performed well. "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. "The Housemaid", a twisty thriller starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, collected $14.9 million over the weekend, giving it $75.7 million domestically over three weeks. "Marty Supreme", an A24 release starring Timothée Chalamet, also held well in its third weekend, grossing an estimated $12.6 million.

The State of the Movie Industry
The movie industry is cautiously optimistic about 2026, with a release slate filled with marquee franchises. The industry is coming off a poor 2025, where domestic moviegoing continued to slide. However, with the success of movies like "Avatar: Fire and Ash" and "Zootopia 2", there is hope for a turnaround. The industry is also awaiting a potentially seismic shift, with Warner Bros. agreeing to sell to Netflix in an $83 billion deal that awaits regulatory approval. Despite this, studios are hopeful that 2026 could be the best box-office year of the decade, with new "Toy Story", "Avengers", "Spider-Man", "Super Mario Bros", and "Dune" movies on the horizon.

Top 10 Movies by Domestic Box Office
The top 10 movies by domestic box office for the weekend were:

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
    These movies demonstrate the diversity of the current box office, with a range of genres and styles represented.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the 2026 box office has kicked off on a high note, with "Avatar: Fire and Ash" topping the charts for the third straight week. The success of this movie, combined with other holiday season hits like "Zootopia 2", "The Housemaid", and "Marty Supreme", has raised hopes for a blockbuster-filled year. The movie industry is cautiously optimistic about 2026, with a release slate filled with marquee franchises. While there are challenges ahead, including the potential impact of the Warner Bros. sale to Netflix, the industry is hopeful that 2026 could be the best box-office year of the decade.