Avatar: Fire and Ash Just Became the First Film in 3 Years to Accomplish This Box Office Feat

James Cameron is unparalleled when it comes to box office prowess. His films don’t just top the charts, they go on to rank among the highest-grossing movies of all time. Cameron has helmed three members of the rare $2 billion worldwide club, and thanks to Avatar: Fire and Ash, he recently became the first director in history with four $1 billion titles to his name. By now, it’s been established that Fire and Ash is lagging behind predecessor Avatar: The Way of Water and won’t be as big of a commercial hit, but it’s still proven to be a massive draw over an extended period of time. Nearly a month after its debut, Fire and Ash is still the No. 1 film.

According to Variety, Avatar: Fire and Ash repeated as box office champion this weekend by earning $21.3 million domestically. It has now grossed $342.6 million in North America and $1.23 billion worldwide. With this, Fire and Ash has won the box office for four consecutive weekends, becoming the first film since Barbie in 2023 to accomplish that feat. Over the past two and a half years, there have been multiple movies that won three weekends in a row.

How Long Will Avatar: Fire and Ash‘s Box Office Streak Last?

The Avatar franchise has unrivaled box office legs in today’s day and age. For proof, one only has to look at the performances of the first two installments. The original Avatar and The Way of Water were able to get to the $2 billion mark because they dominated the multiplex for almost two months. Domestically, both retained the top spot for seven consecutive weekends, holding that No. 1 position through the end of January. Fire and Ash is now officially more than halfway there, so it’s now worth wondering if it can match the accomplishments of its predecessors.

There’s a strategy to releasing the Avatar films in December. Not only is that right in the middle of the lucrative holiday moviegoing season, it also sets the movies up for prolonged success since January is usually bereft of notable, high-profile new releases that audiences are excited about. Fire and Ash easily beat out this weekend’s fresh arrivals like Primate ($11.3 million) and Greenland 2: Migration ($8.5 million). Though Fire and Ash has been out for a while and business is starting to slow down somewhat, it remains the biggest attraction in theaters, especially since it’s an experience crafted specifically for the big screen. But Fire and Ash could be facing some stiff competition soon.

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Avatar: Fire and Ash Cannot Be The End of the Series (And There’s One Reason Why)

This coming weekend sees the debut of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, the sequel to last year’s horror hit 28 Years Later. Debuting in the midst of the summer movie season, 28 Years Later was a major success. It opened with $30 million domestically en route to a $70.4 million North American total. If The Bone Temple performs similarly in its opening weekend, then odds are it will top Avatar: Fire and Ash. There’s reason to believe that it will; 28 Years Later earned widespread critical acclaim, with many people praising its compelling story and strong performances. Fans are excited to see the next chapter in this franchise, which should help The Bone Temple get off to a strong start.

If Fire and Ash manages to beat out The Bone Temple, it’s still not a guarantee its No. 1 streak will go to seven weekends. The back half of January has other titles that could make some noise, including the Chris Pratt sci-fi vehicle Mercy and Send Help, director Sam Raimi’s return to the horror genre. Neither are likely to set any new records, but a film doesn’t have to break the bank to win a random weekend in January. As Fire and Ash‘s numbers go down each week, it won’t take much to top it soon. To compare, Avatar: The Way of Water made $15 million domestically in its seventh weekend, and Fire and Ash is on pace to earn less than that. This might be the first time Avatar fails to win the box office for the entire month of January.

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