After a shaky 2025, the domestic box office has finally found its footing — and New Year’s weekend has delivered a much-needed confidence boost. With holiday breaks still in effect and audiences making the most of extended vacations, theatres are seeing one of their strongest New Year frames since the pandemic era.
Avatar: Fire and Ash Leads a Strong Start
Sitting firmly at the top is James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash, which crossed the $1 billion global box office mark on Saturday. The sci-fi epic continues to prove Cameron’s unmatched pull, adding yet another billion-dollar title to a filmography that already includes Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Titanic.
By New Year’s Day, the film had amassed $935 million worldwide, including $266 million from North America and $699 million overseas. A strong Friday pushed the domestic total to $280 million, and trade estimates suggest the film is heading toward a $36–38 million weekend, which would take it past the $300 million mark in North America.
Notably, Fire and Ash is now one of only three Hollywood releases of 2025 to cross $1 billion globally, alongside Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and the record-breaking Zootopia 2.
Zootopia 2 Shows Incredible Staying Power
Speaking of Zootopia 2, the animated juggernaut continues to defy gravity. In its sixth weekend, the Disney sequel is expected to drop just 7%, pulling in $18 million or more and comfortably holding second place.
The film recently surpassed Frozen II to become the highest-grossing Walt Disney Animation Studios title ever, unadjusted for inflation. It has also rewritten history in China, where it is now the top-grossing Hollywood animated film, with earnings exceeding $560 million. Globally, Zootopia 2 has already reached $1.51 billion and is still going strong.
Disney’s Banner Comeback Year
Thanks largely to Avatar and Zootopia 2, Disney has crossed $6.5 billion in global ticket sales, marking its strongest theatrical year since before the pandemic — a major industry milestone.
Other Holiday Titles Holding Firm
Beyond the top two, several films are showing impressive endurance:
- The Housemaid, directed by Paul Feig, is emerging as a sleeper hit. The thriller is expected to dip just 6%, earning around $14 million and nearing $75 million domestically — a major win, particularly for Sydney Sweeney.
- A24’s Marty Supreme, starring Timothée Chalamet as a 1950s table tennis champion, continues its strong run. After a surprising Christmas debut, the film is now eyeing $11–12 million this weekend, marking one of A24’s best holiday performances ever.
- Anaconda, despite mixed critical reception, is likely to round out the top five, followed closely by family and faith-based titles like The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, David, and Song Sung Blue.
New Releases Face an Uphill Battle
The weekend’s only wide new release, Daisy Ridley-starrer We Bury the Dead, is struggling to break into the top tier. Playing in just over 1,100 theatres, the indie zombie thriller is expected to land around $2.7 million, likely placing it near the bottom of the top ten.
Final Words
With Avatar: Fire and Ash roaring past $1 billion, Zootopia 2 rewriting animation records, and multiple holiday holdovers refusing to fade, 2026 has opened on an unusually strong note for theatres. If this momentum holds even briefly, it could signal a far more stable year ahead for the box office.
