The final weekend of 2025 was one of the best for movie lovers, offering a smorgasbord of choices to suit all tastes. For the second consecutive weekend, Disney and 20th Century’s sci-fi action sequel AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH sold the most tickets by grossing $64.0M over the last three days. However, the next eight movies from the top 10 combined to provide substantial support, beginning with the three that opened or expanded on Christmas Day, which was Thursday this year. Those were A24’s sports drama MARTY SUPREME which expanded to a nationwide release, Sony’s action comedy ANACONDA and Focus Feature’s musical drama SONG SUNG BLUE. The films that opened alongside AVATAR last weekend were still going strong, including Lionsgate’s psychological thriller THE HOUSEMAID, Angel Studios’ animated biblical story DAVID and Paramount’s animated THE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS MOVIE. Finally, Disney’s very-successful ZOOTOPIA 2 had a resurgence in its fifth weekend as did Universal’s musical fantasy WICKED: FOR GOOD in its sixth.
With all these options to choose from, the total weekend box office came in at $177.2M, which was a new post-COVID record for the final weekend of the year. It was also 4% higher than last year’s $171.2M total in the weekend of December 27-29, 2024.
This was the perfect scenario for theatres, especially those with enough screens to play most or all of the titles. Cinemas were busy throughout the day, with many sellouts for the blockbusters in the large auditoriums and smaller houses playing second-tier and specialty titles. When the traffic is spread out throughout the day and across all auditoriums, in-theatre operations run more smoothly and the customer experience is improved. Quite a few moviegoers only show up to the theatre a few times each year, and the Christmas holiday period is usually one of those times. We hope that the good movies and service will encourage some of these occasional moviegoers to come back throughout the year.
Studios can also take heart to see that the market is able to support so many titles at one time. A movie does not necessarily have to “win the weekend” to attract an audience and make money. This weekend’s top movie was AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, but its gross only accounted for 36% of the total, leaving plenty of room for other films to prosper. Next Friday is the beginning of the 2026 film year, and Vertical Entertainment’s WE BURY THE DEAD is the only new wide release, with the current holiday releases generating most of the ticket sales. One year ago on the first weekend of 2025, there were no new wide releases and the total was $103.9M. We expect that that next weekend will have significantly higher grosses.
FIRST PLACE
Disney and 20th Century’s AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH in its second weekend brought in $64.0M, a decline of only 28% from last weekend’s debut. This brings its 10-day total to $217.7M domestically and $760.4M worldwide, almost exactly in line with the $212.7M earned by the original AVATAR in 2009 at this point in its release. However, FIRE AND ASH’s total is 17% below that from THE WAY OF WATER in 2022, which earned $261.0M domestically in its first ten days
The weeks ahead will begin the “AVATAR HOLD” phase of this release, a term which has been used to describe the very low declines from weekend to weekend for an extended period. This has been director James Cameron’s secret weapon resulting in the two previous AVATAR movies winding up as the #1 and #3 top-grossing movies of all time. Even after a solid opening 10 days for each of the first two AVATARs, there was still plenty of gas left in the tank with AVATAR still having 73% of its total gross remaining while AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER had 62%. The supporters of AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH are hoping that the same phenomenon will play out again.
While the movie is already assured to be profitable, just how much has yet to be shown. We do not expect AVATAR 3 to gross as much as AVATAR 2, which itself was below the original AVATAR. The results will be analyzed closely by both Cameron and Disney to gauge how much it makes sense to spend on producing AVATAR 4. Here is where the three AVATAR movies stand after ten days in release.
AVATAR Movies after 10 Days
SECOND PLACE
Disney’s animated sequel Z00TOPIA 2 came roaring back in its fifth weekend to sell $20.0M at the box office, an increase of 28% from last weekend when it finished in fourth place. This brings its 33-days totals to $321.4 domestically and $1.4B worldwide. Its ratio of production cost to a worldwide gross sits at 9.3 to 1, which is already much higher than the original ZOOTOPIA’s 6.7 to 1 ratio. ZOOTOPIA 2 currently ranks as the 4th highest-grossing animated movie of all time globally, and with several more weeks to go it has a chance to move into third place by overtaking FROZEN II from 2019 which earned $1.45B. With ZOOTOPIA 2 in second place for the weekend, Disney can claim bragging rights with the top two movies of the weekend. Disney is finishing the year on an upward trend, locking down the annual market share lead among all studios. Here is how ZOOTOPIA 2 compares to ZOOTOPIA after 33 days.
ZOOTOPIA Movies after 33 Days
THIRD PLACE
A24 has a hit on its hands with MARTY SUPREME, which expanded to 2,668 theatres across the U.S. and Canada this weekend and finished in third place with $17.6M. Last weekend, the comedy drama starring Timothee Chalamet made news by scoring the biggest per-theatre average of the year when it opened in six of the top theatres in New York and Los Angeles and earned an amazing $146K per location. The big question was whether a movie about ping pong and con men set in the 1950’s would do well outside of those niche markets when it expanded to 2,668 theatres on Christmas Day? The answer appears to be, yes it can, with a very respectable $6,588 per theatre average across the country. Among films in wide release, that was second only to AVATAR with its $16,842 average per complex.
Several factors are working in the film’s favor. First, its director Josh Safdie has a strong record of success, most notably with the 2019 crime thriller UNCUT GEMS which he directed with his brother Benny. That film surprised the industry by earning $50M, and gave its star Adam Sandler new bona fides as a serious actor. The Safdies also directed the critically acclaimed GOOD TIME in 2017, starring Robert Pattinson in this extremely intense crime thriller. Before that, the brother duo directed HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT in 2014, a gritty drama about a young woman struggling with addiction in New York City. Fans of the Safdie’s have come to expect that their films do not allow the audience to sit back and relax, and MARTY SUPREME is no exception.
Secondly, its star Timothee Chalamet at 29 years old has become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, with the ability to headline blockbusters such as WONKA and the two DUNE movies, as well as less extravagant fare such as last year’s A COMPLETE UNKNOWN biopic about Bob Dylan, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He also had a Best Actor nomination for his performance in CALL ME BY YOUR NAME from 2017. While no one doubted his acting ability, he was not yet an accomplished table tennis player, so he spent months training in the sport to prepare for his role in MARTY SUPREME, including speed drills and match simulations with former professional players.
A third factor working in the film’s favor is A24’s distribution strategy. Founded in 2012, the studio has had a profound imprint on the industry, earning 76 Oscar nominations and winning 21 time in its brief history. The studio has already won twice for Best Picture, with MOONLIGHT in 2016 and EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE in 2022. A24 has developed a cult-like following of fans who seek out their titles. They made a winning call to start off playing MARTY SUPREME on the weekend before Christmas in only six theatres in New York and Los Angeles. Word spread that tickets to its opening weekend screenings were hard to get, with over $875K in tickets sold for that opening weekend. While the biggest story of the weekend was the opening of James Cameron’s AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, the second story became the surging demand for MARTY SUPREME. It was mentioned on many media outlets that cover the movies, with this free publicity priming the public for its Christmas Day expansion.
The story of MARTY SUPREME follows Marty Mauser (Chalamet), a brilliant but abrasive New York City table tennis prodigy who hustles his way from smoky pool halls to the world stage. Fueled by ego, charm, and relentless competitiveness, Marty chases fame and validation while clashing with rivals, lovers, and authority figures who challenge his reckless ambition. As his success grows, so do the costs of his arrogance, forcing Marty to confront the difference between winning matches and earning respect. The film blends sports drama and character study, tracing how raw talent, self-sabotage, and unexpected humility shape a singular, unforgettable champion. Chalamet is joined ably by Gwyneth Paltrow as Kay Stone, a wealthy, retired actress and socialite who becomes romantically involved with Marty. Kevin O’Leary from Shark Tank plays Milton Rockwell, a rich businessman who finances Marty’s ambitions. Fran Drescher, the former SAG-AFTRA president who stepped down from that role in 2025, plays Rebecca Mauser, Marty’s mother. The film takes us back to the 1950’s New York City, shot primarily in 35mm film, embracing its grainy and motion blurred images. Several tournaments were filmed in active clubs, with unsuspecting patrons reacting naturally. Lighting relied heavily on existing fluorescents, adding harsh realism. Some scenes were captured guerrilla-style in NYC, with minimal crew and without bothering with crowd control or film permits. Costume design leaned heavily on thrifted and vintage athletic wear to establish the character in a specific era.
Critics have come out strongly in favor of the film, with a solid 95% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences give it a lower but still very supportive grade of 83%. Here are a few examples of what the critics had to say. The Washington Post said, “The fact that Marty’s singular talent isn’t building a decoder to win World War II but rather smacking a tiny ball with a tiny paddle across a tiny net is both absurd and relatable, beautiful and pathetic.” Newsday says, “Chalamet leaves it all on the table in this high-stakes drama about a small-scale sport.” USA Today weighs in with, “A proudly oddball period movie that boasts throwback elements but leans timeless in its unlikely hero’s journey.” The Boston Globe’s movie reviewer went negative by chiming in, “There is nothing I dislike more than a movie that demands that you love an obnoxious, insufferable protagonist. ‘Marty Supreme’ is one of the worst examples of this phenomenon.
MARTY SUPREME cost $70M to make, setting a new record as the most expensive movie A24 has ever released. This will require the film to earn $175M globally to be profitable. This is quite a bet by the studio, considering that its highest-grossing film of all time is EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (2022) which earned $142M. Furthermore, EVERYTHING took in $65.6M from foreign markets, and MARTY SUPREME may be too “American” a story to appeal to international audiences. The film will need to hang around in theatres for many weeks, earn a number of awards nominations and possibly even compete for a Best Picture award, just as EVERYTHING did just a few years ago. We believe that all of these events are possible for this well-done film. For a comparison, we chose the most famous Safdie film to-day, UNCUT GEMS.
MARTY SUPREME vs. UNCUT GEMS after 10 Days
FOURTH PLACE
Lionsgate’s THE HOUSEMAID took fourth place with $15.4M in ticket sales, dropping by 19% from its opening last weekend. This brings its 10-day total to $46.5M domestically. THE HOUSEMAID is running 42% ahead of the film we chose to compare it with, A SIMPLE FAVOR. International distribution has been very limited so far, with a planned global rollout in the next few weeks. A SIMPLE FAVOR earned 45% of its total from outside North America. THE HOUSEMAID needs to earn $88M globally to be profitable, and this target appears to be well within range. We expect THE HOUSEMAID will hold screens and attract audiences for many weeks to come, playing up to and through Martin Luther King weekend from January 16-18.
The success of the film is very good news for Lionsgate, the book’s author Freida McFadden and its lead actress Sydney Sweeney. With three more Housemaid books having already been written, its lead character Millie Calloway has a bright future. Each book in the series takes on a new setting and a different stage of life, with characters and stakes evolving around her journey. THE HOUSEMAID has all the makings of a movie franchise, and after a few stumbles in 2025 – AMERICANA, ECHO VALLEY, and CHRISTY – Sweeney is ending the year on a high note. After her hit rom-com ANYONE BUT YOU and now THE HOUSEMAID, she is becoming one of Hollywood’s most in-demand actresses. Here is how THE HOUSEMAID stands next to A SIMPLE FAVOR after 10 days.
THE HOUSEMAID vs. A SIMPLE FAVOR after 10 Days
[Chart 4
FIFTH PLACE
Sony’s action comedy ANACONDA finished in fifth place in its opening weekend with $14.6M. This is a derivative of the original ANACONDA back in 1997, which itself was not much of a financial or critical success when it was released. Reviewers gave that movie only a 40% rating, and the audience hated it as evidenced by its 24% RT score.
So why even bother to make a new version after 28 years? Sony execs imagined that a more comedic story line starring Paul Rudd and Jack Black would carry a new version to more commercial appeal, and they may have been correct. Clearly, they chose a more auspicious release date for the new movie, opening on Christmas Day compared to the earlier movie’s April 1997 release. ANACONDA 2025 still has another seven days of holiday business to do, through Sunday January 4th.
Director Tom Gormican (THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT) has put together a film that is a modern reimagining of the cult 1997 creature feature, shifting the tone from survival horror to comedy. The film tells the story of two friends from childhood, a failed director played by Paul Rudd and a failed actor played by Jack Black. They are determined to remake their favorite movie from their youth, ANACONDA. Together they put together a small expedition deep into the Amazon rainforest tasked with locating a rare, undocumented species believed to possess unique regenerative properties. The team quickly realizes they are being hunted by something far more intelligent than them. Their target is a colossal green anaconda that has grown to unprecedented size due to environmental disruption and illegal experimentation.
The new movie is scoring higher with the critics and especially the audience when compared to the original. The choice to cast Rudd and Black also seems to be working. Here is what the critics are saying. Variety writes, “The jokes practically write themselves, which is why it’s surprising that there aren’t more of them.” The Seattle Times says, “It’s all very, very silly, but nobody here thought they were making a Scorsese movie, and the fun’s infectious.” The Boston Globe slams the picture by stating, “As an unabashed lover of grindhouse and genre fare, it’s an insult to me when a movie repeatedly states that it knows it’s not good. That’s not a creative idea, for starters, but it’s also aggravating.” Finally, the AV Club breaks it down simply by saying, “All that’s really important is they get Black and Rudd on the boat and in front of the snake.”
To director Gormican’s credit, he spent only $45M to make the movie, which is the same as the amount that was spent on the original Anaconda in 1997. Adjusting that number for 28 years of inflation would raise that number to $90.9M in current dollars. ANACONDA 2025 still needs to get to $113M in worldwide ticket sales to break event, and the next 7 days will be critical to getting there. For a comparison film we looked no further than the original.
ANACONDA 2025 vs. ANACONDA 1997
Where are We as of 12/25/2025
After 51 weeks, the 2025 domestic box office stands at 100.4% compared to the same point in 2024 and 75.9% compared to 2019.
