‘Avatar 3’ tops China box office in another win for Disney

Walt Disney’s Avatar: Fire and Ash opened at No. 1 in China, delivering a strong debut just weeks after the entertainment giant’s Zootopia 2 broke records for a foreign animated film in the country. The third installment in James Cameron’s sci-fi franchise generated $57.6 million in its opening weekend, according to Disney. It is the second-highest debut for a foreign title in China this year, after Zootopia 2. Once a huge source of revenue for Hollywood, China’s ticket receipts for U.S. films dipped in the pandemic era as the country favored locally produced content. Hollywood releases have gradually returned this year with major promotional pushes, as the government steps up support for a slowing cinema industry that now counts about 100,000 screens nationwide. China’s box office has reached 51 billion RMB ($7.2 billion) in 2025 as of December 21 compared with 42.5 billion RMB for all of 2024. Much of that increase is due to the locally produced blockbuster Ne Zha 2, which accounted for about 30% of ticket sales. Family films, in particular, continue to draw audiences in the market, said Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Comscore. High-quality family titles “connect with viewers, transcending cultural differences and language barriers,” he said. Zootopia 2 has already taken in $539 million there and continues to climb, cementing its status as one of the most beloved animated franchises in the country. Chinese audiences have been embracing the brand through merchandise and the themed attractions at Shanghai Disneyland. Franchise power Avatar is also a marquee franchise in China. Avatar: Way of Water, released in 2022, has grossed a total of $247 million in the country, according to Box Office Mojo. The first installment has generated a total of $262 million in ticket sales, much of that when the number of theater screens was much lower than today. Current projections put Avatar 3 on track for roughly 1.1 billion RMB, which would make it the second biggest foreign film in China this year, according to Maoyan. “The success of Zootopia 2 and Avatar 3’s robust opening in China document Chinese moviegoers’ continuing interest in Hollywood films that capture ticket-buying interest for titles that deliver a relatable, entertainment-first experience wrapped in Hollywood’s renown high-value production quality,” said Rance Pow, chief executive officer at Artisan Gateway, an entertainment research firm. Top five foreign films have generated about $850 million at China’s box office so far this year, up from $518 million in 2024. While Zootopia 2 leads among imports, Sony Group’s Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle grossed $96 million and Universal Pictures’ Jurassic World: Rebirth raised $80 million. As Chinese moviegoers grow more selective, favoring well-established franchises for the theatrical experience, Imax China has also benefited from Hollywood releases, with sales rising alongside expanded partnerships with local exhibitors such as Wanda Film. “The success of import films in China this year, and particularly at year-end, suggests China’s return to its longer-term industry growth trajectory will likely include the contributions of strong local, Asia-regional and Hollywood films to meet the broadening interests and sophisticated tastes of China’s largest-in-the-world movie-going audience,” Pow said. By Sohee Kim

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‘Avatar 3’ tops China box office in another win for Disney