Movie lovers showed up in droves to see Disney’s latest, “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” during the last weekend of the year. This sci-fi epic has quickly become one of 2025’s biggest hits.
The film, directed by James Cameron, earned around $64 million domestically and $181.2 million internationally, totaling $760.4 million worldwide. In just 10 days, it climbed to the sixth spot among the highest-grossing films of the year, surpassing big names like “Superman” and “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle.”
The “Avatar” series has a knack for drawing crowds with its stunning visuals. “Fire and Ash” has already pulled in about $96 million from IMAX screenings, making it a top contender for IMAX’s biggest Hollywood release this year. Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore’s trends expert, emphasized the role of premium formats in its success, especially since audiences are cautious about spending.
There was also a variety of films drawing viewers this weekend. “Zootopia 2,” which debuted during Thanksgiving, ranked second with $20 million, a 35% increase from last weekend. It has now grossed a staggering $1.4 billion worldwide, making it the second-highest-grossing movie of 2025. Dergarabedian noted that family-friendly films have thrived, with PG-rated films earning $2.87 billion this year—outpacing PG-13 films.
Meanwhile, A24’s “Marty Supreme,” starring Timothée Chalamet, took third place with $17.5 million, gaining traction thanks to social media buzz and a youthful fanbase.
The overall box office put up strong numbers for the Christmas week. According to Fandango’s Shawn Robbins, it was the best holiday week for movies since 2020. He pointed out that the solid performance of several major releases is promising for the future, signaling that audiences are returning to theaters.
So far in 2025, the domestic box office has grossed $8.76 billion, a slight increase from last year. However, it still trails behind 2023, which was the only year post-pandemic to hit the $9 billion mark. Comparatively, 2019 saw earnings exceed $11 billion, highlighting the ongoing recovery path for theaters.
The strong performances this December might lead to a bright start for 2026. Analysts predict that the ongoing success of films could boost the total box office by an additional $100 million before year-end.
As we look ahead, some of the most anticipated films set for release in 2026 include Universal’s “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” Disney’s “Toy Story 5,” and both “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Dune: Part Three,” which are slated for December 18. With this exciting lineup, theaters might just experience their best year since the pandemic began.
