Avatar: Fire and Ash Faces Box Office Competition, Setting New Record

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James Cameron’s latest Avatar film, Avatar: Fire and Ash, is performing well at the box office, but it’s up against a lot of competition. In fact, a record four movies are currently vying for the top spot, creating an unusually crowded market.

Variety reports that Fire and Ash earned $88 million in its opening weekend in the U.S., but this was lower than the $134 million debut of 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water. David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research commented on the somewhat underwhelming start for Avatar.

The impressive success of the ‘Avatar’ films isn’t about their initial release; it’s about their long-term performance after opening. It will take a few weeks to accurately gauge how well the newest film is performing.

While everyone was discussing Avatar: Fire and Ash, other new movies also drew audiences. Angel Studios’ animated musical David and Lionsgate’s The Housemaid both opened the same weekend, as did The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, bringing animated fun back to the big screen.

The animated musical David tells the story of David and Goliath in a way that’s easy for kids to enjoy. It was a box office success, earning $22 million and landing at number two in the US. The film features music by Joseph Trapanese and currently has a 70% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The psychological thriller The Housemaid earned a strong $19 million in its opening weekend, landing in third place at the box office. Starring Amanda Seyfried, Sydney Sweeney, and Brandon Sklenar, the film—directed by Paul Feig and based on the novel by Freida McFadden—received an 81% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants earned $16 million at the box office, landing it at number four. While still performing well, ticket sales for this film are lower than previous SpongeBob movies in theaters. Critics seem to like the movie, giving it a strong 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

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This weekend marks a rare event in movie history: for the first time in the 2020s, the top four films at the box office are all brand new releases. While “Avatar: Fire and Ash” didn’t perform as strongly as anticipated, the other three films have surprised both audiences and industry professionals with their success.

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2025-12-21 22:00