Is Avatar 3 Losing Momentum After Its First Days in Theaters?
Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third movie in James Cameron’s epic Pandora series, hit theaters on December 19, 2025, just a few days ago. Fans hoped it would match the huge success of the first two films, but early signs show it might not be keeping up the same pace. The original Avatar from 2009 pulled in $2.9 billion worldwide, and The Way of Water in 2022 made $2.3 billion globally. Those numbers set a high bar, and now people are asking if Fire and Ash is already slowing down.https://collider.com/avatar-fire-and-ash-special-look-disney-plus-streaming-success-december-2025/
Right out of the gate, box office experts predicted a solid but smaller opening for this one. One forecast put the first weekend at about $108 million domestically. That is decent, but it falls short of The Way of Water’s $134 million debut. The gap makes sense since there was a 13-year wait for the second film, building massive hype. This third one came just three years later, so excitement has not grown as much. Plus, it faces tougher competition like the animated David movie, The Housemaid, and a SpongeBob release, unlike the mostly clear path for Way of Water.https://toddmthatcher.com/2025/12/10/avatar-fire-and-ash-box-office-prediction/
The film runs nearly three hours and 20 minutes, which could help it hold strong over the holidays if families stick around. Past Avatar movies legged out well, meaning they earned big after opening weekend through word of mouth and repeat viewings. Fire and Ash picks up with Jake and Neytiri dealing with loss and facing the fierce Ash People led by Varang. Stars like Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, and Oona Chaplin bring emotional depth, with Saldana calling it heart-wrenching and full of lessons on parenting and grief. A special preview is already surging on Disney+ streaming charts, showing fans still care.https://collider.com/avatar-fire-and-ash-special-look-disney-plus-streaming-success-december-2025/
Still, pressure is on. Cameron has admitted the studio worried about stretching to five films, but the franchise’s profits won them over. Early tracking for the six-week run hints at challenges, as 2025’s box office needs holiday hits to hit targets. If Fire and Ash dips too fast after day one or two, it could signal fading buzz in a crowded season.https://boxofficetheory.com/6-week-box-office-tracking-forecasts-avatar-fire-and-ash-90m-pre-release-checkpoint-plus-christmas-week-outlooks-and-early-mercy-forecasts/https://toddmthatcher.com/2025/12/10/avatar-fire-and-ash-box-office-prediction/
Sources
https://collider.com/avatar-fire-and-ash-special-look-disney-plus-streaming-success-december-2025/
https://toddmthatcher.com/2025/12/10/avatar-fire-and-ash-box-office-prediction/
https://boxofficetheory.com/6-week-box-office-tracking-forecasts-avatar-fire-and-ash-90m-pre-release-checkpoint-plus-christmas-week-outlooks-and-early-mercy-forecasts/
