In brief
Hollywood kicks off 2026 with a booming box office, largely thanks to 'Avatar: Fire and Ash,' which topped ticket sales for three weeks straight and grossed over $1 billion worldwide. Other popular films, such as 'Zootopia 2' and 'The Housemaid,' also performed well, suggesting the industry may see a turnaround after a stagnant 2025. With major franchises slated for release this year, the outlook for a strong box office is optimistic.
As Hollywood launches into 2026, it has seen a promising boost, largely attributed to the success of 'Avatar: Fire and Ash', which has maintained the number one position at the box office for three weeks. The film, directed by James Cameron, has amassed over $1 billion globally, with $40 million coming in just this past weekend in North America.
'Avatar' has shown significant strength internationally, contributing over $777 million to its total. Disney heralds this as another landmark for Cameron's influential franchise, prompting optimism for a year filled with box office hits after a particularly lackluster 2025.
During the holiday week, several films contributed to a healthy theater-going market. Following 'Avatar', 'Zootopia 2' made its mark, earning $19 million after remarkable staying power three weeks post-release.
In addition to 'Zootopia', The thriller 'The Housemaid,' with performances from Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, has also garnered attention, clocking in at $14.9 million over the weekend.
As ticket sales ramped up, Chalamet's star power helped 'Marty Supreme' as well, achieving $12.6 million. This indicates a rebound from a challenging year where domestic ticket sales were reported at $8.9 billion, significantly lower than pre-pandemic figures.
Looking ahead, Hollywood anticipates a hearty recovery, backed by a rich slate of upcoming releases including sequels and franchises like 'Toy Story,' 'Avengers,' 'Spider-Man,' and 'Dune.' Such films are expected to prop up ticket sales and revitalise the industry.
Top 10 Movies by Domestic Box Office
- 1. 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' - $40 million
- 2. 'Zootopia 2' - $19 million
- 3. 'The Housemaid' - $14.9 million
- 4. 'Marty Supreme' - $12.6 million
- 5. 'Anaconda' - $10 million
- 6. 'The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants' - $8.2 million
- 7. 'David' - $8 million
- 8. 'Song Sung Blue' - $5.9 million
- 9. 'Wicked: For Good' - $3.3 million
- 10. 'Five Nights at Freddy’s 2' - $2.7 million
