“Avatar: Fire and Ash” Scorches Global Box Office with Record-Breaking $43.6 Million IMAX Debut
The film’s performance highlights a significant trend in premium large-format viewing.
RMN Stars Business Desk
New Delhi | December 24, 2025
NEW YORK — James Cameron’s latest sci-fi epic, “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” has officially shattered expectations, earning a massive $43.6 million global opening weekend on IMAX screens. This debut marks the largest opening for IMAX in 2025 and stands as the fifth-highest opening weekend in the company’s history.
The film’s performance highlights a significant trend in premium large-format viewing. Despite being shown on less than 1% of total global screens, the IMAX network delivered 12.6% of the film’s total worldwide debut. Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX, attributed this success to the “indelible connection” between Cameron’s franchise and the IMAX format, noting that the “Avatar” films historically possess a box office longevity that few other franchises can match.
Domestic and International Milestones: In North America, the film grossed $13 million, representing 14.8% of its domestic opening. This represents the fourth-highest IMAX indexing ever for a domestic premiere that surpassed $85 million.
The international response was even more robust, with the film earning $30.6 million from overseas markets—the third-highest international IMAX opening of all time. A total of ten countries, including Germany, France, Thailand, and Indonesia, notched their biggest IMAX opening weekends ever.
Dominance in China and Technical Reach: The film saw particularly high engagement in China, where IMAX earned $13.5 million, accounting for a staggering 23% of the film’s overall debut in that market.
“Avatar: Fire and Ash” achieved the widest IMAX global release in history, spanning 1,703 screens. To enhance the immersive experience, the film is being shown exclusively in IMAX 3D within the network’s locations. With a coveted “A” CinemaScore from audiences, the film is expected to remain a staple of the holiday season, with screenings scheduled through January in most global markets.
To understand the impact of these figures, imagine a small boutique shop that occupies only one out of every 100 storefronts in a city, yet manages to take in more than $12 of every $100 spent across the entire town. Despite its small physical footprint, its high demand makes it a primary engine for the local economy.
