‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Could Set Notorious Franchise Low
The latest installment in the Avatar franchise, Avatar: Fire and Ash, is on track to become the lowest-grossing film in the series despite earning strong numbers globally.
According to box office reports as of December 31, the movie has made $242.3 million in the United States and Canada and $609.5 million in other territories, bringing its worldwide total to $851.8 million.
Before its U.S. release, Deadline Hollywood had projected an opening weekend of $340–380 million worldwide. The film opened to $347 million globally, including $12 million from Thursday previews in North America.
While these numbers led the box office and beat the 2009 Avatar’s opening weekend of $77 million, they fall far short of Avatar: The Way of Water, which opened to $134.1 million domestically in 2022.
During its first weekend in the U.S. and Canada, Fire and Ash grossed $89.2 million. The following weekend, it remained at number one with $63.1 million, a 29% drop from its debut. This decline is smaller than the 53% drop seen in the second weekend for The Way of Water.
New teaser for ‘AVATAR: FIRE & ASH’
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) November 27, 2025
In theaters on December 19. pic.twitter.com/U3mwwF4iYI
For context, Avatar: The Way of Water earned $684.1 million in North America and $1.636 billion in other territories, totaling $2.32 billion globally. The original Avatar, including its extended re-release, grossed $785.2 million in the U.S. and Canada and $2.138 billion internationally, reaching nearly $2.923 billion worldwide.
While Fire and Ash is still performing well compared to most films, it clearly underperforms relative to the franchise’s previous entries. Its slower domestic start and lower global projections mark a notable shift for a series that has set massive box office records over the past decade.
Fire and Ash shows that even a hugely popular franchise can face challenges in maintaining audience momentum. Fans may be selective about returning to theaters, or the high bar set by previous films makes expectations difficult to meet. What do you think about Fire and Ash underperforming compared to earlier Avatar movies? Share your thoughts in the comments.