In the high-stakes world of Hollywood blockbusters, James Cameron break records.
IMDb
the Avatar franchise has become the highest-grossing trilogy of all time, crossing the monumental $6 billion threshold. The historic achievement comes just days after the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash, which has enjoyed a dominant holiday run.
By surpassing the cumulative totals of the Star Wars sequel trilogy and the original Lord of the Rings films, Cameron’s blue-hued epic has solidified its status as the most commercially successful narrative arc in the history of the moving image. For a series that was once doubted for its long gaps between releases, the message from the box office is clear: Never bet against James Cameron.
Pandora’s Holiday Power
James Cameron attends the European Premiere of 20th Century Studios “Avatar: Fire and Ash” on December 05, 2025 in Boulogne-Billancourt, France. (Photo by Lyvans Boolaky/Getty Images for Disney)
Avatar: Fire and Ash arrived as the focal point of the global box office this month. While $760 million in just 14 days is a staggering figure, the film’s success is even more impressive given the current market. It has successfully fended off Zootopia 2, which currently sits at $1.42 billion worldwide, and A24’s Marty Supreme, which just enjoyed a massive $30 million opening week.
According to industry analysts, families are once again “flocking to the biggest screens possible,” with IMAX and 3D formats accounting for a significant portion of the Fire and Ash revenue.
Box Office
The journey began in 2009 with the original Avatar, which was produced for $237 million and went on to become the highest-grossing film of all time with a staggering $2.923 billion worldwide. Its 2022 sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, saw a significant jump in production costs to roughly $460 million, yet it justified the investment by earning $2.321 billion. The third installment, Avatar: Fire and Ash, which hit theaters on December 19, 2025, carrys a production budget of approximately $400 million; in just its first 14 days of release, it has already amassed over $760 million
