James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” ruled the domestic box office over the Christmas holiday. New releases like “Marty Supreme,” “Song Sung Blue,” and “Anaconda” kept theaters busy, but couldn’t dethrone the Disney animated hit “Zootopia 2,” which secured the No. 2 spot in its fifth weekend.
“Avatar 3” raked in $64 million over the weekend, totaling $88 million since Christmas. This drop of just 28% from its debut is much smaller than the 52% drop of its predecessor, “The Way of Water.” So far, it has made $217.7 million in North America and $760 million worldwide. Its predecessors not only topped the charts for weeks but also crossed the $2 billion mark. It’s likely this film will remain a top contender as the new year begins.
Among the newcomers, “Marty Supreme” debuted strongly with $17.4 million over the weekend and $27.1 million during the holiday period. A24’s latest release is now one of their best performers ever. The film stars Timothée Chalamet, who has played a huge role in its marketing. Known for engaging fans, he has been everywhere, including a promotional stunt on top of the Las Vegas Sphere. Critics and audiences responded well, giving the film a grade of “B+.” In contrast, Chalamet’s previous film, “Uncut Gems,” received a “C+”.
David A. Gross, an industry expert, notes that having a strong cast can elevate sports dramas like this one. Movies such as “F1: The Movie” with Brad Pitt also exemplify this idea.
At No. 5, “Anaconda” opened with $14.6 million over the weekend. This film features Jack Black and Paul Rudd and reflects a playful meta-narrative. However, audience reception has been lukewarm, earning a 51% on Rotten Tomatoes.
“Song Sung Blue” came in eighth with $7.6 million over the weekend. This film revolves around two struggling musicians, played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, and garnered an impressive “A” grade. The audience was primarily female, with many over 55, suggesting strong word-of-mouth potential.
In contrast, “Zootopia 2” continued to shine, earning $20 million this weekend and adding to its $320 million domestic total. It’s the highest-grossing film of 2023, with global earnings totaling $1.42 billion.
Another noteworthy film, “The Housemaid,” ranked No. 4 with $15.4 million this weekend, boosting its domestic total to $46.6 million.
As 2025 approaches, the domestic box office has reached $8.76 billion, slightly ahead of last year but trailing behind pre-pandemic figures. Industry analysts predict an annual revenue of about $8.87 billion. Paul Dergarabedian from Comscore attributed the strong end-of-year performance to heavy hitters like “Avatar” and “Zootopia” along with the successful launch of “Marty Supreme.”
Despite this success, the box office still falls short of the elusive $9 billion mark for another year.
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Avatar: Fire and Ash,Marty Supreme,Song Sung Blue
