Avatar: Fire and Ash Outpaces Sequel at Box Office

James Cameron’s latest blockbuster, Avatar: Fire and Ash, has taken the top spot at the box office for the last weekend of the year, leaving Zootopia 2 and Marty Supreme trailing behind. In its second weekend, the film’s takings dipped by just 33% compared to its opening, a much smaller drop than Avatar: The Way of Water’s 52% fall in 2022. That said, the original Avatar from 2009 only slipped by 1.8% in its second weekend—a figure the newer instalments can only dream of matching. After Friday’s numbers, Fire and Ash has raked in $84 million over four days, with $153.7 million from local cinemas and $390.6 million from overseas, bringing its total to $544.3 million worldwide.

There’s plenty of chatter about whether Fire and Ash can crack the $2 billion mark like its predecessors. Its domestic debut of $89.1 million is well below The Way of Water’s $134.1 million, but it’s still higher than the original Avatar’s $77 million opening. The first film’s glowing reviews helped it soar to $2.9 billion globally, while The Way of Water, despite a stronger start at home, finished with $2.343 billion. Fire and Ash, however, hasn’t enjoyed the same critical acclaim, which could make reaching that milestone a tough ask.

Box Office and Critical Reception

Looking at the numbers, Fire and Ash is the lowest-rated of Cameron’s theatrical releases, sitting at 66% on Rotten Tomatoes from over 310 reviews. The site’s consensus reads:

Remaining on the cutting edge of visual effects, Fire and Ash repeats the narrative beats of its predecessors to frustrating effect, but its grand spectacle continues to stoke one-of-a-kind thrills.

By comparison, the first Avatar scored 81% and the second 76%. Despite the lukewarm critical response, punters seem to be enjoying it, with an audience score of 90%. The film’s budget reportedly tops $400 million, putting it among the priciest productions ever. On Metacritic, it’s sitting at 62 out of 100 from 50 critics. While the visuals, characters, and action sequences have been praised, many reckon the story is a bit too simple and lacking in heart. Oona Chaplin’s turn as Varang has been singled out as a highlight, with the rest of the cast also getting nods for their performances.

Mixed Reviews from Critics

Not all critics have been kind. Nicholas Barber from the BBC called it the “longest and worst” of the Avatar films, saying it looked “unrealistic and un-immersive as an old arcade game.” Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian described it as “largely uninteresting” except for a few dramatic moments, labelling it a “gigantically dull hunk of nonsense.” David Ehrlich from IndieWire said watching it felt like seeing “one of cinema’s greatest explorers walk in circles for three hours.”

On the other hand, Ross Bonaime from Collider thought it didn’t match the impact of the first film or improve on the second, but still called it “an exceptional moviegoing experience that proves there’s still plenty of gas in this tank.” FandomWire’s review went so far as to call it “the best, most emotional Avatar yet,” with critic Matt Hambidge noting that while some parts felt like “additional footage from The Way of Water, edited into its own movie,” Cameron “infuses so much heavy emotion and personal stakes into this third entry.”

Pandora’s Darker Side and New Clans

This time around, Cameron shifts focus from the familiar Na’vi versus human conflict to the diverse cultures and internal strife of Pandora. Fire and Ash introduces two new Na’vi clans: the Tlalim, or Wind Traders, and the Mangkwan, known as the Ash People. Unlike the earlier films, which highlighted the Na’vi’s positive traits, this chapter delves into the planet’s darker corners. The title’s “Fire & Ash” hints at these themes, with Cameron explaining:

I don’t think I could say too much about it until you actually see the film and you see what it means, but if you think of fire as hatred, anger, violence, that sort of thing, and ash is the aftermath. So what’s the aftermath? Grief, loss, right? And then what does that cause in the future? More violence, more anger, more hatred. It’s a vicious cycle. So that’s the thinking.

Zoe Saldaña and Sam Worthington are back as Neytiri and Jake Sully, with Oona Chaplin leading the Ash People as Varang. The cast also features Sigourney Weaver, Britain Dalton, Jack Champion, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Matt Gerald, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Bailey Bass, Jemaine Clement, and David Thewlis. Fire and Ash is screening in cinemas from 19 December 2025, while the earlier films are available to stream on Disney+.