Avatar 3 Opening Night Attendance Explained
Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third movie in James Cameron’s blockbuster franchise, hit theaters this week with mixed opening night results around the world. While global projections point to a strong weekend, early attendance numbers show some markets lagging behind the massive turnout for Avatar: The Way of Water in 2022. Here’s a breakdown of what happened on opening night and why.
In China, the film’s Wednesday debut drew 265,000 ticket sales for $1.99 million, followed by 179,000 admissions on Thursday for $1.38 million. That’s about 30% lower than Avatar 2’s opening days, which saw 359,000 and 291,000 attendees respectively. Despite topping the charts with 76% market share on Friday and 46% hall occupancy, forecasts now predict a total China run of just $152 million, or 63% of the predecessor’s haul. Check out more details at https://patrickfrater.substack.com/p/avatar-fire-and-ash-forecast-box-office-china.
Indonesia offered a brighter spot, with 399,000 admissions on Wednesday and 362,000 on Thursday, totaling 762,000 over two days. The film led daily charts ahead of local hits and earned an 8.8 out of 10 audience score, close to Avatar 2’s 9.0 rating. The same source notes it played in over 2,500 venues with an average ticket price around $7.63.
Globally, analysts expect $340 million to $380 million for the full opening weekend, including over $90 million domestically across 3,800 theaters with heavy premium formats like 430 IMAX 3D screens. Overseas kicks off in places like France, Germany, Korea, then bigger markets including China, the UK, Japan, and India. For full projections, see https://tribune.com.pk/story/2582674/avatar-fire-and-ash-projected-to-earn-up-to-380m-in-opening-weekend.
Early screenings hint at lighter crowds in some spots. One viewer caught a 10 a.m. showing in an almost empty hall but expects busier evenings, praising the visuals and score while noting the 3-hour-17-minute runtime felt long. Critics sit at 71% on Rotten Tomatoes, facing competition from films like David and The Housemaid. Read the full review at https://vincentloy.wordpress.com/2025/12/20/just-got-back-from-watching-avatar-fire-and-ash/.
Factors like the holiday season, franchise fatigue after 13 years since the original, and a longer runtime play into attendance. Premium screens and fan loyalty should boost numbers through the weekend.
Sources
https://patrickfrater.substack.com/p/avatar-fire-and-ash-forecast-box-office-china
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2582674/avatar-fire-and-ash-projected-to-earn-up-to-380m-in-opening-weekend
https://vincentloy.wordpress.com/2025/12/20/just-got-back-from-watching-avatar-fire-and-ash/
