Avatar: Fire and Ash tops weekend box office with $36.5 million Friday as new releases enter crowded holiday slate
Avatar sequel leads a mixed debut weekend that also features a biblical animated film and a thriller; The Housemaid amid sharp critical words
Avatar: Fire and Ash topped the domestic box office on Friday, taking in $36.5 million, The Numbers reported. The third installment in James Cameron’s blockbuster franchise is projected to finish the weekend with as much as $95 million in domestic receipts, according to trackers cited by The Numbers. The Post described the film as the weakest of Cameron’s Avatar trilogy, a characterization that frames expectations for its reception as the weekend unfolds.
Industry trackers anticipated a solid start for a December slate, with audiences turning out for big-budget franchises and family-friendly fare alike. The film’s opening day set the pace for a weekend that could determine whether the Avatar franchise can sustain momentum through the holidays.
David, a biblical animated musical about the Old Testament king who defeated Goliath, took second place with $9.6 million in revenue on its opening day. The film’s premise targets family audiences seeking faith-based storytelling amid a slate heavy on action and suspense.
The Housemaid, a psychological thriller starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried as a live-in maid for an affluent couple, opened with about $8 million. The Post panned the release as a “gussied-up pile of trash” and a “trashy Gone Girl” rip-off, illustrating how critics and audiences diverge on genre offerings.
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants was fourth with roughly $6 million, and Zootopia 2 rounded out the top five with about $4 million in sales.
As Friday's numbers accumulate, studios will watch whether Avatar: Fire and Ash can sustain its early momentum through the weekend and contribute meaningfully to the holiday box office. The December window continues to mix blockbuster science fiction, animated family titles, and thriller releases, shaping a theater landscape that will influence mid- and late-December scheduling.