The Christmas weekend box office proved that moviegoers are hungry for both spectacle and storytelling, with James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” maintaining its commanding lead while a slate of fresh releases helped cinemas enjoy a bustling holiday period.
Cameron’s sci-fi epic collected $64 million domestically during the traditional three-day weekend, expanding to $88 million when Thursday’s Christmas returns are factored in. The film demonstrated remarkable staying power with only a 28% drop from its opening weekend—a significantly better hold than 2022’s “The Way of Water,” which saw a steeper 52% decline after its debut. Two weekends into its theatrical run, “Avatar: Fire and Ash” has accumulated $217.7 million in North America and reached $760 million globally, positioning it for a long run at the top of box office charts well into 2026.
The most impressive newcomer was A24’s “Marty Supreme,” which captured third place with $17.4 million over the three-day weekend and $27.1 million across the four-day holiday frame. Combined with its limited release earnings, the film has banked $28.3 million domestically. This marks A24’s second-largest opening weekend ever, trailing only Alex Garland’s “Civil War,” which debuted with $25 million earlier this year.
Director Josh Safdie’s sports dramedy, starring Timothée Chalamet as a fictional table tennis champion, benefited enormously from its leading man’s promotional efforts. Chalamet has been highly visible in marketing the film, and audiences responded enthusiastically. Roughly 65% of ticket buyers were 35 or younger, and exit polls gave the R-rated feature a “B+” CinemaScore—a notable improvement over the “C+” reception of Safdie’s previous work, the anxiety-inducing “Uncut Gems.” With an estimated $70 million production budget, “Marty Supreme” is expected to maintain momentum thanks to strong reviews and word-of-mouth.
Industry analyst David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research noted that sports dramas typically aren’t major box office draws, but the right casting can transform them into hits. “Timothée Chalamet is making that kind of difference,” Gross observed, comparing the effect to recent successes like Brad Pitt’s “F1: The Movie” and the Ben Affleck-Matt Damon vehicle “Air.”
Sony’s “Anaconda” secured fifth place with $14.6 million over the weekend and $23.7 million since Christmas. The $45 million meta-reboot features Jack Black and Paul Rudd as friends pursuing their childhood dream of remaking the 1997 creature feature, only to find themselves stalked by a real anaconda when their production goes awry. Critical and audience response was mixed, with a 51% Rotten Tomatoes score and a “B” CinemaScore.
Focus Features’ musical “Song Sung Blue” landed in eighth position with $7.6 million over three days and $12 million through the extended holiday weekend. The $30 million production, directed by Craig Brewer, features Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson as struggling musicians who form a Neil Diamond tribute band. The film earned the weekend’s highest CinemaScore with an “A” grade, suggesting strong word-of-mouth potential ahead. The audience skewed older, with 53% over age 55, and 65% female—demographics that typically take longer to get to theaters but remain loyal once they discover a film they enjoy.
Disney’s “Zootopia 2” continued its phenomenal run, claiming second place by outperforming all the new releases with $20 million over the weekend and $25.2 million since Thursday. The animated sequel has now earned $320 million domestically and an astounding $1.42 billion worldwide since its Thanksgiving debut, making it the highest-grossing Hollywood film of 2025.
Rounding out the top performers, Lionsgate’s “The Housemaid” claimed fourth place with $15.4 million over the weekend and $18.9 million across the four-day period. The psychological thriller starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried has proven to be a sleeper hit, accumulating $46.6 million domestically and $64.9 million globally.
The holiday weekend’s diverse lineup—spanning epic science fiction, sports drama, creature comedy, musical biopic, and psychological thriller—demonstrates that audiences are seeking variety at the multiplex, a positive sign for the industry as it heads into 2026.
