How big is Avatar: Fire and Ash’s $20m weekend box office and where to watch it in London and the UK

London, January 2026 — James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash has extended its dominance at the global box office for a fourth consecutive weekend, delivering more than $20 million in North America and pushing its worldwide takings beyond $1 billion just three weeks after its cinema release. The film continues to outperform all new January arrivals, including Paramount’s horror thriller Primate and Lionsgate’s disaster sequel Greenland 2: Migration, both of which have opened to far more modest figures, underlining the franchise’s grip on audiences across global markets. This is reported by The WP Times , citing US box office trackers and studio distribution data.

The film generated an estimated $5 million in ticket sales on Friday alone, securing its position at No.1 in both the US and Canada during a traditionally slow post-holiday period for cinemas. While Fire and Ash did not match the explosive openings of the first two Avatar films, analysts note that its week-to-week stability and international performance are significantly stronger than most January releases, which are typically dominated by lower-budget titles and awards-season holdovers. In the UK, the film is now playing on IMAX, Dolby Cinema and 3D screens across London, England and Scotland, with extended runs confirmed into mid-to-late February as demand remains high.

A rare January blockbuster

Hollywood studios typically avoid launching major tentpole films in January, but Avatar: Fire and Ash has bucked that trend. After three full weekends in cinemas, the film has already crossed the $1 billion global milestone, placing it among the most commercially successful releases of the decade.

The third film in Cameron’s long-running franchise follows the continued conflict between the Na’vi and human forces on Pandora, with new characters and environments expanding the Avatar universe. Despite mixed comparisons to the earlier films, its box-office staying power suggests strong audience loyalty to the brand.

Cinema chains in the UK, Europe and North America have reported that Avatar remains the primary driver of ticket sales, offsetting a slow start to the year for other releases.

How the new releases are performing

While Avatar continues to dominate, two new films entered the US market this weekend:

Primate, directed by Johannes Roberts, opened in more than 2,900 cinemas and is tracking towards an $11 million weekend. The film stars Oscar-winner Troy Kotsur and centres on a domesticated chimpanzee that turns violent after contracting a deadly infection.

Greenland 2: Migration, a sequel to the 2020 disaster film starring Gerard Butler, is projected to earn between $8 million and $10 million. Set after a comet devastated Earth, the story follows a family forced to leave their Greenland shelter in search of safety in a ravaged Europe.

Strong holdovers keep cinemas busy

Beyond the new releases, several films already in theatres continue to perform solidly. The thriller The Housemaid, starring Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney, earned $3.3 million on Friday, while awards contender Marty Supreme, led by Timothée Chalamet, took in $2.2 million.

Meanwhile, Sony’s action-comedy Anaconda, starring Jack Black and Paul Rudd, has passed a major milestone, crossing $100 million worldwide. The film grossed $1.28 million on Friday from more than 3,000 locations and is heading towards a $4.6 million domestic weekend.

Why the industry is watching Avatar closely

For studios and investors, Avatar: Fire and Ash has become a key test of how much audiences are still willing to spend on premium cinema experiences during a period of high household costs. With ticket prices and concessions remaining elevated across the UK and US, blockbuster performance is seen as a barometer of consumer confidence.

So far, Cameron’s franchise appears to be defying those pressures, continuing to pull in large crowds while newer films struggle to break out. As January progresses, industry analysts will be watching closely to see whether any rival releases can challenge Avatar’s grip on the box office — or whether Pandora will continue to dominate cinemas into the new year.

Where and how to watch Avatar: Fire and Ash in the UK

For British audiences, Avatar: Fire and Ash has become the dominant cinema release of early 2026, with extended nationwide runs confirmed across England, London and Scotland following its strong box-office performance. UK cinema chains have increased the number of daily screenings, particularly on IMAX, Dolby Cinema and 3D screens, reflecting sustained demand well beyond the film’s opening weeks.

The film is now playing on premium-format screens in all major UK cities, with London and Scotland receiving the highest number of showings. Industry booking data indicates that Avatar will remain in wide UK release until at least mid-February 2026, with leading IMAX and Dolby sites likely to continue into late February if ticket sales remain strong.

Where Avatar: Fire and Ash is playing across the UK

UK cinema chains showing Avatar

How long will Avatar stay in UK cinemas

Based on current box-office momentum and UK booking data, Avatar: Fire and Ash is expected to remain in general UK release until at least 15–20 February 2026, with IMAX and Dolby Cinema screenings in London and major cities likely to continue beyond that date if demand remains high. Disney has not yet announced any UK streaming release, signalling that the studio is prioritising a prolonged theatrical run to maximise revenue from the franchise’s billion-dollar global performance.

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