Key points
- Film earns $8.1 million domestically
- Holiday run drives strong ticket sales
- Global total nears one-billion-dollar mark
ISLAMABAD: James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash closed out 2025 by dominating the New Year’s Eve box office, finishing as the top-grossing film of the day and helping push domestic ticket sales to an estimated $8.9 billion for the year.
The latest instalment in the blockbuster Avatar franchise earned approximately $8.1 million domestically on New Year’s Eve, a strong performance for a night that typically sees lower cinema attendance due to holiday celebrations.
Since opening in mid-December, the film has generated more than $250 million at the domestic box office in under two weeks.
Industry analysts attribute the film’s success to strong holiday attendance, particularly in premium large-format cinemas such as IMAX and 3D screenings, where the franchise has traditionally performed well.
Fire and Ash
Internationally, Fire and Ash continues to build momentum and is expected to surpass the $1 billion global mark early in 2026.
Despite the strong year-end showing, total domestic box office revenue for 2025 narrowly missed industry projections of $9 billion. Still, the figure represents a modest increase over 2024 and signals continued recovery for cinemas amid shifting audience habits.
New Year’s Eve rankings placed Fire and Ash ahead of Disney’s Zootopia 2, which also posted solid returns, alongside a mix of family films and specialty releases.
The success of Avatar: Fire and Ash underscores the enduring appeal of large-scale event films and provides early optimism for theatrical performance heading into 2026.
