'Avatar: Fire And Ash' Hits $483 Million Worldwide In First Week, But Opening Weekend Trails Behind 'Way Of Water'

James Cameron‘s “Avatar: Fire and Ash”, one of the most anticipated films for 2025, landed in theaters last week with a global roar, and both fans and investors are taking note.

According to data from Box Office Mojo, the third installment of the blockbuster saga has grossed over $483 million worldwide in its first week, with $129.7 million coming from U.S. audiences and the rest from international markets.

A Franchise Measured By Numbers

The original “Avatar” film was released in 2009, with a $77 million domestic opening weekend before going on to gross $2.92 billion worldwide— a record at the time and still the franchise’s all-time heavyweight.

Meanwhile, “Avatar: The Way of Water” opened to $134.1 million domestically in its opening weekend in 2022 and became a $2.32 billion global hit.

“Avatar: Fire and Ash” made $89.16 million domestically through the opening weekend, beating the original’s opening but trailing well behind its immediate predecessor’s start.

While the latest film isn’t topping the year’s biggest openings, its worldwide total so far — nearly half a billion dollars in roughly one week — remains a strong global entry for late-December releases.

See also: ‘Avatar: Fire And Ash’ Could Ignite Box Office — Disney, AMC, IMAX Stocks Ready To Pop?

What ‘Pandora’ Means For Walt Disney

Pandora, the lush and otherworldly setting of the film series, is not just a fictional world but a real-world asset for Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS), which owns 20th Century, the studio behind the Avatar films.

The enduring popularity of the franchise shows that Disney’s investment in immersive, globally appealing content can generate enormous theatrical revenue, even in a market where domestic audiences are more selective. International audiences brought in opening week box office sales of $353.6 million, according to Box Office Mojo.

At the same time, the film’s relatively modest domestic debut compared with its 2022 predecessor highlights the shifting landscape at home. U.S. audiences are now balancing streaming options, franchise fatigue, and other entertainment choices, meaning that even a visually spectacular film must compete harder to capture attention.

With it, the release of “Zootopia 2” is also expected to boost theater chain operator AMC Entertainment Holdings (NYSE:AMC) and immersive movie technology maker IMAX Corporation (NYSE:IMAX).

Two additional sequels, Avatar 4 and Avatar 5, are in various stages of production and scheduled for 2029 and 2031.

Price Action: AMC stock is down over 58% this year, while IMAX has gained 50.2%. DIS shares are up 3.3% this year, having closed up in the last session at $114.48, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

Benzinga’s Edge Rankings show strong scores for DIS stock in growth, while value and quality scores are moderate. Price trends also look solid across time periods.

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