James Cameron‘s highly anticipated Avatar: Fire and Ash delivered an opening day of $36.5 million, putting the sci-fi epic on course for a domestic debut in the $85 million to $95 million range. Friday’s haul included more than $11 million in previews.
Overseas, where it began opening in select markets midweek, the 20th Century and Disney tentpole has already grossed $100 million, including a stellar opening day of $17 million in China. The male-skewing film is earning strong audience exits — including an A CinemaScore, in line with the two previous films — despite its running time of more than three and a quarter hours.
Avatar: The Way of Water opened to $134 million in 2022, but there was a tremendous pent-up demand, considering the first Avatar debuted all the way back in 2009. Also, Way of Water had nine full days of play before the Christmas holiday, while Fire and Ash had six days, with the theory being that some audiences will wait to see the movie until preparations are done and presents unwrapped.
The first Avatar was all but lambasted when it opened to $77 million in 2009, but the angst soon ended as the film picked up momentum on its way to becoming the top-grossing film of all time at the worldwide box office with an astounding $2.97 billion, not adjusted for inflation. It still holds that honor, followed by Marvel’s: Avengers: Endgame and two more Cameron titles, Way of Water and Titanic.
Avatar: Fire and Ash isn’t the only movie pulling up an early seat at this year’s holiday feast.
Also opening nationwide over the Dec. 19-21 weekend are Paramount’s family pic The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, which is looking at a muted debut in the mid-teens, while Lionsgate’s R-rated thriller The Housemaid, starring Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney, is in a close race for second place. The film, a throwback to the 1990s, will be a key test for Sweeney following her failed Oscar hopeful, Christy, and is hoping for a launch in the $20 million to $24 million range after earning $8 million on Friday.
The Angel Studios animated faith-based feature David is also tracking in the $20 million to $23 million range after earning $8.3 million on Friday. Based on Saturday sales, it presently holds a lead over Housemaid, which would be the best opening ever for Angel Studios, home of Sound of Freedom. David earned an A CinemaScore.
Another round of films opens Christmas Day, including Sony’s Anaconda reboot (no one is quite sure where it will land). On the prestige side of the aisle, Oscar hopefuls Marty Supreme, starring Timothée Chalamet, and Hugh Jackman/Kate Hudson starrer Song Sung Blue also open nationwide.
This story was originally published Dec. 19 at 10:21 am.