James Cameron’s latest journey to Pandora has officially entered the billion-dollar club. Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third installment in the groundbreaking franchise, has crossed $1.083 billion at the global box office after just 18 days in theaters, combining $306 million domestically with a massive $777.1 million from international markets.
While the achievement cements Fire and Ash as another blockbuster success for Cameron and Disney, it’s moving at a slightly slower pace than its predecessors. Avatar: The Way of Water reached the billion-dollar milestone in 14 days back in 2022, while the original 2009 Avatar hit the mark in 17 days. Both films went on to become box office juggernauts, with the first film earning a staggering $2.9 billion and the sequel generating $2.3 billion worldwide.
Can ‘Fire and Ash’ Reach $2 Billion?
The big question now: does Avatar 3 have the legs to join Cameron’s exclusive $2 billion club? The answer lies primarily with international audiences, who have historically powered the franchise to stratospheric heights.
The numbers tell the story. The original Avatar pulled in $2.1 billion from overseas markets alone, while The Way of Water generated $1.65 billion internationally. For Fire and Ash, China leads foreign territories with $138 million, followed by France at $81 million, Germany at $64 million, and Korea at $44 million.
Both previous Avatar films dominated the box office for seven consecutive weekends, giving them the extended theatrical runs necessary to accumulate record-breaking totals. Whether Fire and Ash can replicate that staying power in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace remains to be seen.
Disney’s Box Office Domination Continues
Fire and Ash represents Disney’s third billion-dollar release of 2025, joining Lilo & Stitch and Zootopia 2 in the exclusive club. To put that achievement in perspective, no rival studio has produced a single billion-dollar film since 2023.
This trio of blockbusters caps off a banner year for Disney, which has generated over $6.58 billion in global revenues for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the industry. The studio has outgrossed its nearest competitor by at least $2 billion, cementing its position as the undisputed box office champion in terms of market share.
Cameron’s Billion-Dollar Track Record
Fire and Ash marks Cameron’s fourth film to cross the billion-dollar threshold, joining Avatar, The Way of Water, and Titanic. The director remains the only filmmaker in history with three $2 billion blockbusters to his name—an achievement that underscores his unparalleled ability to deliver massive commercial spectacles.
The latest installment follows Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) as they face a new fiery threat alongside their family. While Cameron originally planned five films set on Pandora, he’s recently suggested that the franchise’s future depends on Fire and Ash‘s performance.
“We’re getting ahead of ourselves [with ‘Avatar 4’] because, first of all, we’ve got to make some money with this one,” Cameron told Variety ahead of opening weekend. “Every time we go out, we have to prove this crazy business-case yet again.”
The Franchise’s Future Hangs in the Balance
Cameron has joked about potentially holding a press conference to determine whether Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 will move forward or if the franchise will conclude with the third film. Given the massive production budgets required for these visual effects-heavy epics, the economics must work for the series to continue.
With Fire and Ash now firmly in billion-dollar territory and still playing in theaters worldwide, the odds of reaching that crucial $2 billion mark improve with each passing weekend. If international audiences continue showing up—as they have for the previous two installments—Cameron may well add another member to his elite $2 billion club.
For now, Pandora’s box office fire continues to burn bright, proving once again that audiences worldwide remain captivated by Cameron’s vision of the Na’vi world and its endless possibilities for spectacle and storytelling.
