James Cameron's Avatar: Fire and Ash stormed the Chinese mainland box office this past weekend, raking in more than 200 million yuan (about $28.4 million) in just two days since its opening on Friday, December 19. Industry trackers now project the film could exceed 1 billion yuan by the end of its run.
The synchronized release in North America and the Chinese mainland underscores China's growing influence in global moviegoing trends. Studios are increasingly prioritizing real-time debuts, and mainland audiences are contributing significant shares to worldwide box office figures from day one.
Earlier this year, Zootopia 2 opened without delay in the Chinese mainland and has since earned 3.6 billion yuan, making it that film's largest single market globally. These milestones highlight a broader shift: global blockbusters now depend on success in the Chinese mainland as much as any other market.
As 2025 wraps up, all eyes are on upcoming releases to see if they can match Avatar: Fire and Ash's impressive start. For filmmakers and studios, winning over Chinese mainland viewers has never been more crucial to a film's international impact.
Reference(s):
China box office for 'Avatar 3' tops 200 million yuan in two days
cgtn.com
