The pre-Christmas box office has come alive, led by Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third film in James Cameron’s epic sci-fi series. The movie earned a strong $36.5 million on Friday and is expected to open between $85 million and $90 million in its first three days in North America. Even though critics gave it mixed reviews, audiences clearly love it, awarding it an A CinemaScore. This shows that fans are still deeply connected to the world of Pandora and eager to return to theaters.
Avatar Fire And Ash Leads Big Weekend Openings
Fire and Ash continues the story of the Na’vi as they face a dangerous new enemy, the Ash People, led by Varang, played by Oona Chaplin. Viewers praised the film’s stunning visuals, emotional music, and expansion of the Avatar universe. Premium formats are playing a major role, with IMAX and other large screens making up nearly half of ticket sales. More than half the audience also chose to watch the movie in 3D, proving that Avatar remains a big-screen experience people want to see in the best possible way.
At number two, Angel Studios’ animated film David is having a record-breaking opening for the studio. The faith-based movie is expected to earn around $25 million for the weekend, making it Angel Studios’ biggest debut so far. Families and younger audiences are responding very positively, with high audience scores and strong word of mouth, especially in central and southern regions of the United States.
Close behind is Lionsgate’s thriller The Housemaid, starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried. The film is heading toward a $20–21 million opening. It has attracted mostly female viewers, particularly those aged 18–34. While its CinemaScore is slightly lower, audience interest remains high, helped by the popularity of the original novel and solid performances from the lead actors.
Read more: Sigourney Weaver Calls Playing Teen Kiri in Avatar: Fire and Ash the Best Job Ever
Other films also performed well. The SpongeBob Movie: The Search for Squarepants opened with about $17 million, pleasing families and kids. Overall, this weekend is expected to earn more than $180 million at the box office, making it one of the strongest pre-Christmas frames in recent years and a great sign for theaters heading into the holiday season.
Author: Purnima s
Purnima | Entertainment Blogger 4+ yrs writing fun blogs on movies, celebs & trends. Pop culture addict serving fresh, binge-worthy content!
