SUNDAY UPDATE: James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash has fired up a $345M global opening. Of that, $257M is from the international box office. This is the 2nd highest studio opening globally of the year, behind only Zootopia 2. The three Avatar films have now earned over $5.6B to date.

Both the worldwide and international debuts are within the pre-weekend projections. As we’ve noted all along, the Na’vi typically take their time to leg out. Compared to The Way of Water, this go-round had a shorter runway ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays. Social scores are strong domestically and abroad, and there is much more play to come.

This return to Pandora was the No. 1 Hollywood opener in all markets (save Japan) this frame. It scored the biggest debut for a studio title in 2025 in France, Germany, Spain and Korea as well as many smaller markets  It is also the 2^nd highest MPA international opening overall since 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water, behind only Zootopia 2 (more on that juggernaut below).

In China, Avatar: Fire and Ash has grossed an estimated $57.6M during its opening weekend. This was a No. 1 start in the market, and the biggest launch for an Avatar movie.

Across Europe, Avatar: Fire and Ash amassed $109.4M for its opening weekend at No. 1 in all markets. Included in that are the highest bows of 2025 in France, Germany, Spain, Austria (non-local), Belgium, Denmark (non-local), Switzerland, Lithuania (non-local), Portugal, Romania (non-local), Slovenia, South Africa, Tajikistan and Turkey.

Across Asia-Pacific (excluding China), Fire and Ash collected $60.1M this weekend at No. 1 in all markets except Japan where Zootopia 2 reigns. This was the best start for an Avatar movie in Vietnam and Indonesia, and really a happy surprise in Korea with the biggest opening weekend of 2025.

The Top 5 markets through opening weekend are: China ($57.6M), France ($21.4M), Germany ($18M), Korea ($13.6M) and UK ($11.9M).

All offshore markets launched this weekend except for Hong Kong which will join on January 8.

In Imax, Fire and Ash generated a $43.6M global opening weekend; the format’s biggest of 2025 and the fifth biggest debut in Imax history. Countries notching their biggest Imax debut weekends ever include Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Belgium, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Romania, Switzerland, and Turkey.

This was the widest Imax global release of all time across 1,703 screens; Fire and Ash will continue to play across the network through January in most global markets.

Meanwhile, Disney’s Zootopia 2 keeps hopping as it nears $1B at the international box office. The global total after four weekends is $1,272.8M. That includes $282.8M domestic and $990M overseas.

Z2 added $76.7M this weekend in overseas play, a 42% drop (-36% excluding China). It is the No. 5 animated studio release of all time worldwide and the No. 1 Hollywood international release of the year as well as the No. 2 MPA animated international release of all time, having passed Frozen ($884M) and Frozen 2 ($978M). 

Some markets saw particularly strong holds in the fourth frame including Israel (+119%), Portugal (+6%), Netherlands (+1%), Belgium (0%), New Zealand (-1%), France (-20%), Spain (-22%), Germany (-24%), Hong Kong (-26%), Japan (-27%), Australia (-29%), Brazil (-32%) and UK (-34%).

Here’s the Top 5 markets so far: China ($539.1M), France ($44M), Korea ($41.3M), Japan ($39.3M) and Mexico ($28.9M).

In total, with this weekend’s business, Disney has reached $5.82B worldwide so far in 2025, and will top $6B later this week.

Universal/Blumhouse-Atomic Monster’s Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 added $8M worth of dough from the third international weekend, playing in 78 markets. The overseas cume is now $93M for $201.8M global. Japan is still to bow, on January 23.

The Top 5 markets to date are: Mexico ($14M), UK ($8.2M), Brazil ($6.3M), Australia ($5.4M) and Spain ($5.2M).

MISC UPDATED CUMES/NOTABLE
Wicked: For Good (UNI): $4M intl weekend (80 markets); $163.7M intl cume/$484.2M global
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t (LGF): $2.38M intl weekend (53 markets); $160.4M intl cume/$221.4M global.

PREVIOUS, SATURDAY UPDATE: James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash crossed the $100M mark at the international box office on Friday, reaching $100.4M through three days. It is now on its way to a global opening in the $340M-$350M range. Worldwide, that’s within, but on the lower end of, the pre-weekend projection. The Na’vi typically take their time to leg out, and social scores are strong both overseas and domestically as the holidays approach. 

The 20th Century/Disney sci-fi threequel is playing around the world (save Hong Kong where it releases January 8) and has opened to No. 1 in nearly all offshore markets. As noted yesterday (see below), it posted the highest opening day of 2025 across such majors as Australia, France, Germany and Italy, then continued the trend on Friday in Spain, the UK and India (non-local).

Through Friday, China had grossed $17.2M, a No. 1 start. Not included in the international total above, China rises to an estimated $41M through today. Also not included in the overseas total above, Korea added a big $4.3M today, lifting the local estimated running cume to $9.7M.

The Top 10 markets through Friday are: China ($17.2M), France ($8.7M), Germany ($8.3M), Korea ($5.4M), Mexico ($4.4M), UK ($4.1M), Australia ($4.1M), Italy ($3.5M), Indonesia ($2.8M), India ($2.6M) and Brazil ($2.5M). 

We will have a full look at the weekend on Sunday.

PREVIOUS, FRIDAY: James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash is off to a $43.1M start across two days at the international box office. That includes 18 markets that opened on Wednesday and another 25 which joined the Na’vi on Thursday. 

Among the debuts, the 20th Century Studios/Disney sci-fi adventure posted the highest opening day of 2025 in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Iceland, New Zealand, Indonesia (non-local) and Thailand (non-local) as well as several smaller European markets.

The $43.1M total above does not include China which released today (after limited sneaks on Wednesday in the Cinity format, and PLFs on Thursday). The Friday estimate in China is coming in around $17.1M, placing it No. 1. That would represent the 3^rd highest opening day for a studio film since Avatar: The Way of Water in 2022, behind only Zootopia 2 and Fast X. Early social scores are strong with Maoyan a 9.4 (even with the first Avatar and above Way of Water’s 9.0) and TPP a 9.5 (Avatar: 9.3, Way of Water: 9.2).

Wednesday’s key openers included France where Fire and Ash bowed at No. 1 with a 50% market share and 75% of the box office coming from 3D and premium formats. In Germany, the threequel claimed 67% market share at No. 1 on launch day with 80% of takings from 3D and premium. In Italy, the No. 1 start saw a 72% share of the market (44% from 3D and premium).

Also on Wednesday, Korea launched at No. 1 as the 2nd biggest studio start of 2025 with 72% of the market. 

Thursday’s major debuts included Australia with a No. 1 and 62% market share. All Latin American markets opened to No. 1 including Mexico (68% market share) and Brazil (70% market share).

Through the first two days, the Top 10 markets are as follows: France ($5.5M), Germany ($4.7M), Korea ($3.4M), Mexico ($2.7M), Australia ($2.5M), Italy ($2.2M), Indonesia ($1.8M), Brazil ($1.6M), Thailand ($1.4M) and Taiwan ($1M). Note that Korea is up to $5.4M through today, though Friday’s estimate is not included in the international total above.

Along with China, Fire and Ash today adds such markets as UK, Spain, Japan, Poland, Turkey, India and Vietnam.

We’ll have more updates throughout the weekend.