At a Glance
- Avatar 3 tops U.S. box office for a third week, pulling $40M this weekend
- Worldwide sales reach $1B, with $777.1M earned internationally
- Hollywood box office up 26.5% from the same period in 2025
Why it matters: Hollywood’s strongest start to 2026 signals a rebound after a weak 2025 and fuels optimism for a blockbuster-heavy year.
Hollywood kicked off 2026 with James Cameron’s Avatar 3 holding the top spot in U.S. theaters for a third straight week. The film earned $40M over the weekend and has cleared $1B worldwide, $777.1M of which came from international markets.
Avatar 3’s Global Push
The third chapter of the Pandora saga has sustained a $40M weekend in North America while amassing $1B globally. Internationally, the film has already generated $777.1M, underscoring its worldwide appeal.
Other Top Performers
Zootopia 2 remained in second place with $19M, only a 4% dip from the previous weekend, and has reached $1.59B in six weeks. The Housemaid collected $14.9M this weekend and now stands at $75.7M domestically, while adding $57.3M abroad. Marty Supreme earned $12.6M in its third weekend, and its total North American gross is $56M.
Top 10 Domestic Weekend Box Office
| Rank | Film | Weekend Gross |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avatar 3 | $40M |
| 2 | Zootopia 2 | $19M |
| 3 | The Housemaid | $14.9M |
| 4 | Marty Supreme | $12.6M |
| 5 | Anaconda | $10M |
| 6 | SpongeBob Movie | $8.2M |
| 7 | David | $8M |
| 8 | Song Sung Blue | $5.9M |
| 9 | Wicked: For Good | $3.3M |
| 10 | Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 | $2.7M |
The table reflects the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore.
Industry Context
Domestic ticket sales in 2025 totaled $8.9B, a 2% rise from 2024 but about 20% below pre-pandemic levels. The industry is awaiting a potential shift with Warner Bros. agreeing to sell to Netflix, a deal worth $83B pending regulatory approval. Studios remain cautiously optimistic that 2026 could be the best box-office year of the decade, bolstered by a slate of marquee franchises.
Key Takeaways
- Avatar 3’s third-week dominance and $1B global haul signal a strong market rebound.
- Zootopia 2 and The Housemaid demonstrate sustained holiday-season success.
- Hollywood’s 26.5% uptick from 2025 highlights growing audience demand.
Hollywood’s robust opening to 2026 sets a hopeful tone for the rest of the year, as studios gear up for a lineup of high-profile releases.
