There is no clear sign that Avatar 3, titled *Avatar: Fire and Ash*, is losing momentum before its release. In fact, the film is tracking very strong box office projections ahead of its December 19, 2025 debut. Industry forecasts predict an opening weekend in North America between $135 million and $165 million, which would mark the biggest opening in the Avatar franchise history, surpassing the $134.1 million debut of *Avatar: The Way of Water* in 2022[1][2].
The excitement around the film remains high due to the franchise’s established popularity. The original *Avatar* (2009) is the highest-grossing movie of all time with $2.9 billion worldwide, and its sequel also performed exceptionally well, grossing $2.3 billion globally. This strong track record suggests that unless the third film fails in terms of story or visual spectacle, it should continue to attract large audiences[3].
Some analysts note that *Avatar: Fire and Ash* may open slightly lower than *The Way of Water* due to a shorter gap between releases (three years compared to thirteen years before the second film) and increased competition from other holiday releases like *David*, *The Housemaid*, and a new SpongeBob movie. However, even conservative predictions expect the film to surpass $100 million on opening weekend and then sustain a strong box office run through the holidays and into the new year[4].
Overall, the anticipation and box office tracking data indicate that *Avatar 3* is maintaining strong momentum rather than losing it as its release approaches.
Sources
https://www.koimoi.com/box-office/avatar-fire-and-ash-north-america-box-office-projection-eyeing-a-strong-130m-debut-the-biggest-in-james-camerons-franchise/
https://www.boxofficepro.com/long-range-forecast-avatar-fire-and-ash-tracking-to-exceed-the-way-of-waters-134m-opening/
https://screenrant.com/2025-box-office-challenge-avatar-fire-and-ash/
https://toddmthatcher.com/2025/12/10/avatar-fire-and-ash-box-office-prediction/
