Avatar: Fire and Ash Claims 2 New Releases, Extends Box Office Streak with 4th Consecutive #1 Weekend

Avatar: Fire and Ash Maintains Dominance at the Box Office

Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to continue its impressive run at the domestic box office, maintaining its position as the top-grossing film for the fourth consecutive weekend. Following a strong opening weekend, the latest installment in James Cameron’s sci-fi franchise has managed to hold its No. 1 spot despite competition from several major Christmas releases.

According to recent projections, Avatar: Fire and Ash is expected to earn a 3-day total of $21.3 million by the end of its fourth weekend in theaters. This performance will be more than enough to secure the No. 1 position once again. The film follows in the footsteps of its predecessors, with both the 2009 original Avatar and 2022’s The Way of Water remaining at the top of the box office chart for seven straight weekends.

Despite the release of two new films in 2026, which are the first major wide releases of the year, Avatar: Fire and Ash continues to dominate. These new titles include Paramount’s killer chimpanzee thriller Primate and Gerard Butler’s post-apocalyptic thriller Greenland 2: Migration.

Of these two, Primate appears to be the stronger contender. It is projected to earn approximately $11.3 million in its opening weekend, currently locked in a close race for No. 2 with the Sydney Sweeney thriller The Housemaid, which is expected to bring in around $11.1 million. Disney’s Zootopia 2, an animated hit, has fallen out of the running, settling at No. 4 with a projected $10.1 million.

Greenland 2 is trailing behind all three of these titles, with a projected debut of $8 million. While the film has a reported production budget of $90 million, Lionsgate acquired it for domestic distribution for just $10 million, so it is on track for performance that aligns with their expectations.

It’s worth noting that the original Greenland, released in 2020, had a compromised theatrical run due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its core audience may now shift to home viewing platforms when the film debuts on VOD, physical media, streaming, and television.

While neither Primate nor Greenland 2 can challenge Avatar: Fire and Ash for the No. 1 spot, the upcoming horror sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple could potentially disrupt the current standings. The original 28 Years Later had a domestic debut of $30 million, and if the new installment follows a similar trajectory, it could end the James Cameron film’s streak.

This Weekend’s Domestic Box Office Top 5

Below is the full domestic Top 5 chart for the weekend:

Although none of the new releases managed to reach No. 1, two of them made it into the Top 5 this weekend. As a result, two holdover titles naturally dropped out of the chart to make room. Those titles are the meta comedy reboot Anaconda, which fell 49% from No. 5 to No. 7, and the Timothée Chalamet ping pong movie Marty Supreme, which dropped 37% from No. 4 to No. 6.

The latter film may see a resurgence next weekend if it wins any of its three Golden Globe nominations on Sunday night.

There is also a chance that Avatar: Fire and Ash could face some challenges in its fifth weekend. If 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple experiences a steep drop in its second week—which is common in the horror genre—Avatar: Fire and Ash could rise back to No. 1 during its sixth weekend. The following weekend will feature new releases such as Mercy and Return to Silent Hill, but they have a smaller footprint compared to the 28 Years Later sequel.

Upcoming Releases and Their Potential Impact

As the box office landscape continues to evolve, the performance of new releases will play a key role in shaping the rankings. The coming weeks will likely see more competition, especially with the arrival of several high-profile films. Fans of the horror genre will be watching closely to see how 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple performs, while others will be eager to see if Primate or Greenland 2 can maintain their momentum.

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