James Cameron’s latest visual spectacle continues its reign at multiplexes across North America.
Avatar: Fire and Ash is claiming its fourth consecutive weekend atop the box office charts, despite facing fresh competition from horror and disaster genres.
While the threequel isn’t matching the astronomical numbers of its predecessors, it’s still dominating a notably quiet January movie landscape.
Here’s how the weekend box office battle is shaping up—and what it reveals about Hollywood’s current theatrical landscape.
Avatar 3 Holds Strong Despite Softer Performance
Fire and Ash pulled in approximately $5 million on Friday alone, positioning itself for a weekend haul exceeding $20 million domestically.
That’s enough to comfortably fend off challengers in what’s traditionally one of cinema’s slowest months. The franchise installment has already sailed past $1 billion globally after just three weekends in theaters—a milestone fewer than 60 films have ever achieved.
However, the film’s trajectory represents a step down from Cameron’s previous Avatar entries, which shattered records and dominated cultural conversations for months. Fire and Ash appears destined for a respectable rather than revolutionary run.
Primate Delivers Solid Horror Opening
Paramount’s creature feature Primate is carving out second place with an estimated $11 million opening weekend.
The film secured $4.5 million on Friday across more than 2,900 locations—a decent launch for mid-budget horror in January’s typically barren marketplace.
Director Johannes Roberts, whose 47 Meters Down franchise proved profitable for studios, brings his thriller sensibilities to this tale of domesticated terror. The premise centers on a chimpanzee that contracts rabies and turns violently against the family who raised him—along with unfortunate houseguests caught in the chaos.
The casting adds prestige to the horror premise. Oscar winner Troy Kotsur leads the ensemble alongside Johnny Sequoyah and Jessica Alexander, bringing dramatic credibility to genre material.
Horror remains one of Hollywood’s most reliable genres, consistently delivering returns that justify modest production budgets. Primate appears positioned to continue that tradition, even without breaking out as a cultural phenomenon.
Greenland Sequel Finds Modest Audience
Greenland 2: Migration is tracking toward an $8-10 million North American opening—respectable numbers for a sequel to a film that debuted during the pandemic-affected 2020 theatrical landscape.
Lionsgate holds domestic distribution rights for this Gerard Butler vehicle, which reunites the actor with director Ric Roman Waugh. Their previous collaboration, the original Greenland, found significant success despite limited theatrical availability during COVID-19 restrictions.
The sequel picks up after catastrophic comet strikes devastated Earth. Butler’s character and his family must abandon their Greenland bunker sanctuary, venturing into post-apocalyptic Europe searching for habitable territory.
Butler has carved out a profitable niche in mid-budget action thrillers that perform consistently without requiring blockbuster budgets. Migration fits squarely within that proven formula.
Holdovers Show Staying Power
Beyond Avatar 3, several films are demonstrating impressive legs at multiplexes nationwide.
The Housemaid, featuring Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney, collected $3.3 million on Friday. The psychological thriller continues capitalizing on strong word-of-mouth and the star power of two actresses at career peaks.
Meanwhile, Timothée Chalamet’s Marty Supreme earned $2.2 million Friday as it rides momentum from awards season buzz. The biographical drama has emerged as a frontrunner in multiple Oscar categories, with Chalamet’s performance generating particularly enthusiastic critical reception.
Awards recognition translates directly to box office endurance. Films gaining traction during Hollywood’s lengthy awards campaign typically experience extended theatrical runs as distributors capitalize on nominations and wins to drive ticket sales.
Anaconda Crosses $100 Million Milestone
Sony’s adventure comedy Anaconda achieved a significant benchmark, surpassing $100 million in worldwide ticket sales.
The film’s precise global total stands at $101.6 million—validation for the studio’s gamble on pairing comedic powerhouses Jack Black and Paul Rudd in a franchise reboot.
Domestically, Anaconda earned $1.28 million on Friday from 3,075 locations, projecting toward a $4.6 million weekend. Those numbers indicate the film is entering its late-run phase but maintaining enough audience interest to justify continued wide release.
Comedy remains challenging in current theatrical markets. Audiences increasingly reserve theater trips for spectacle-driven experiences, making comedies harder sells compared to action blockbusters or horror films. Anaconda‘s success demonstrates that star power and franchise recognition can still overcome genre headwinds.
January Box Office Reflects Industry Patterns
This weekend’s numbers illuminate broader theatrical trends shaping Hollywood’s release strategies.
Studios traditionally treat January as a dumping ground for lower-priority releases, reserving major titles for summer and holiday corridors. This year follows that pattern, with Avatar 3 carrying over from December to dominate against modest new competition.
The absence of genuine blockbuster competition allows mid-budget films breathing room. Both Primate and Greenland 2 likely would struggle against major franchise releases but find audiences in January’s less crowded marketplace.
Theatrical exhibition continues recovering toward pre-pandemic norms, though audience behavior has permanently shifted. Moviegoers demonstrate increased selectivity, prioritizing films offering experiences unavailable at home—whether spectacular visuals, communal horror thrills, or awards-caliber performances.
As February approaches, studios will begin positioning spring releases while awards season builds toward its Oscars climax. For now, Avatar: Fire and Ash maintains its grip on box office supremacy, even as its reign appears less dominant than James Cameron’s previous cinematic conquests.