Pandora's Box Office Magic: 'Fire and Ash' Lights Up Theaters

The newest addition to the Avatar universe, "Fire and Ash, " has made a significant splash at the box office. It raked in $345 million worldwide in its opening weekend, placing it just behind "Zootopia 2" for the year's highest debut. In the U. S. , it brought in $88 million, while internationally, it collected $257 million. This might seem impressive, but it's a notable drop from the previous Avatar film, "The Way of Water, " which opened with $435 million globally three years ago. Critics and audiences have been mixed on "Fire and Ash. " It has a 68% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the lowest in the series. However, moviegoers gave it an "A" CinemaScore, indicating strong word-of-mouth support. The film's success will likely depend on its ability to maintain this momentum over the coming weeks, especially with the holiday season approaching. The Avatar films have always been known for their strong legs at the box office, rather than their opening weekends. The first film, released in 2009, opened with $77 million domestically but went on to gross nearly $2. 92 billion worldwide. "The Way of Water" followed a similar pattern, eventually tallying $2. 3 billion globally. To reach these heights, "Fire and Ash" will need to keep drawing in audiences.Making these movies is no small feat. With a production budget of at least $400 million, "Fire and Ash" is one of the most expensive films ever made. Director James Cameron has stated that the film's success is crucial for future Avatar movies to be greenlit. The films' epic scale and 3D effects require a significant investment of time, resources, and money. "Fire and Ash" also benefited from premium format showings, which made up 66% of its opening weekend sales. A majority of moviegoers, 56%, chose to watch it in 3D. The Avatar films have always been particularly popular overseas, and "Fire and Ash" was no exception. It had its strongest opening in China, surpassing the previous two movies with $57. 6 million. Other films also made their debuts over the weekend. "David, " an animated retelling of the biblical story, opened with $22 million, marking the best opening for Angel Studios. "The Housemaid, " a psychological thriller, brought in $19 million, while "The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants" collected $16 million. These films will hope to keep their momentum going through the Christmas break. Before expanding widely on Christmas, "Marty Supreme" opened in six theaters, grossing $875, 000. This was enough to set a new record for A24, the film's distributor. The movie, starring Timothée Chalamet, is the most expensive ever for the company.