“‘Fire and Ash’ U.S. Box Office Approaches $300M”

The U.S. box office has witnessed a strong start to the year, with total weekend grosses reaching $127.4 million. This figure marks the highest first weekend of a New Year since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, surpassing last year’s total of $104.2 million. Overall, this performance reflects a solid recovery for the film industry.

Key Box Office Performers

The success is attributed to several films leading the charts:

• Avatar: Fire and Ash: This blockbuster is projected to earn approximately $36 million over its third weekend, bringing its cumulative total to around $302 million.
• Zootopia 2: The family film is also performing well, expected to gross about $18 million in its sixth weekend, resulting in a total of around $362.6 million.
• The Housemaid: This title achieved approximately $13.8 million in its third weekend, accumulating $74.6 million.

Comparative Analysis

The current performance of the box office indicates a positive trend. The first weekend of 2026 showed an increase of 22% compared to the same period in 2025. This growth indicates a strong recovery compared to pre-pandemic metrics, as the first weekend of 2020 had only 11% more revenue at $142.4 million.

Audience Dynamics

Demographics reveal interesting shifts in viewer attendance. For instance, in the second weekend, the film “Song Sung Blue” experienced an increase in Latino and Hispanic audiences from 7% to 11%. This shift signifies a gradual expansion of its audience base, although core demographics indicate a predominance of older viewers.

Box Office Projections

As the holiday period continues, expectations remain high for several films, particularly:

• Avatar: Fire and Ash is projected to cross the $300 million milestone domestically.
• Zootopia 2 is maintaining strong attendance, outperforming its predecessor, Moana 2, from the previous year.
• The Housemaid and other new releases continue to attract significant viewership.

The overall sentiment in the box office reflects optimism. With attendance rising during holiday breaks and strong performances from major titles, the film industry appears to be on a robust path to recovery for the upcoming year.