Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Crosses $1 Billion as Hollywood Opens 2026 on a Strong Note

Hollywood has kicked off 2026 on a powerful note, with James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” dominating the global box office for the third consecutive week and officially crossing the $1 billion worldwide milestone.

In just three weeks, the third installment of the Pandora saga has grossed $40 million during its third weekend in North America, according to studio estimates. The film’s strongest performance continues to come from international markets, where it has earned $777.1 million so far. Distributor The Walt Disney Company described the achievement as “another monumental milestone” for Cameron’s groundbreaking franchise.

While “Fire and Ash” led the charts, the extended holiday period proved lucrative for several other releases, as schools remained closed and audiences flocked to cinemas throughout the week.

Disney’s “Zootopia 2” maintained impressive momentum, securing second place with $19 million, dipping just 4% from the previous weekend. After six weeks in theaters, the animated sequel has amassed $1.59 billion globally, making it Disney’s second highest-grossing animated film ever, behind only The Lion King (2019).

Lionsgate’s thriller “The Housemaid,” starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, continued its strong run, collecting $14.9 million in its third weekend. The film has earned $75.7 million domestically and an additional $57.3 million internationally, proving to be a solid success for its modest $35 million budget.

Meanwhile, Timothée Chalamet’s star power helped propel A24’s “Marty Supreme”, which earned $12.6 million in its third weekend. The film has now grossed $56 million in North America, surpassing director Josh Safdie’s previous hit, Uncut Gems.

Overall, box office drops across most films were minimal, signaling strong audience engagement. Total ticket sales for the weekend were 26.5% higher than the same period in 2025, according to Comscore.

The strong start follows a challenging 2025, when U.S. and Canadian box office revenues reached $8.9 billion, still nearly 20% below pre-pandemic levels. Despite a slight increase in revenue, actual ticket sales declined, largely offset by higher ticket prices.

Looking ahead, industry optimism is growing. With a packed release slate featuring new entries from major franchises such as “Toy Story,” “Avengers,” “Spider-Man,” “Dune,” and “Super Mario Bros,” analysts believe 2026 could become the strongest box-office year of the decade.