At a Glance
- Avatar 3 earned $88 million over the Christmas-to-Sunday four-day span.
- Indie drama Marty Supreme pulled in $27.1 million during the same period.
- PG-rated movies outperformed PG-13 films, pulling in $2.87 billion vs $2.78 billion domestically.
- Disney became the first studio since 2019 to cross $6 billion worldwide in 2025.
- Why it matters: These results show blockbuster and indie films can both thrive, while PG-rated content leads the market.
The 2025 film season closed with a Christmas surge that saw the third Avatar installment smash ticket sales and an indie table-tennis drama, Marty Supreme, defy expectations. While blockbuster numbers remained strong, the year also highlighted a shift toward PG-rated content and a steady domestic market that mirrored last year’s totals.
Avatar 3 Dominates Christmas Weekend
James Cameron’s Avatar 3, titled Avatar: Fire and Ash, captured $88 million during the four-day Christmas-to-Sunday window and $64 million over the traditional weekend, according to studio estimates. The film opened softer than its 2022 predecessor but held up better in its second weekend, falling only 28 percent compared with a 53 percent drop for Avatar: The Way of Water.
With $217.7 million earned in North America and $542.7 million overseas, the $400 million-budget film has already crossed the $800 million threshold. To reach the $2 billion mark that would crown it the third entry in a franchise of that caliber, it must sustain momentum through New Year’s and early January.
Marty Supreme Breaks Indie Records
Josh Safdie’s 1950s-set table-tennis drama, Marty Supreme, earned $27.1 million over the same four-day holiday period, a blockbuster result for A24’s largest-budget release. The film’s $70 million production cost was dwarfed by its box-office haul, giving the studio a solid return on investment.
Marty Supreme even surpassed Sony Pictures’ Anaconda, which earned $23.7 million over the four-day weekend. The comedy’s $23.7 million haul was respectable, but Anaconda’s 50 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating likely dampened its performance.
Domestic Box Office Landscape
The year’s domestic ticket sales total $8.76 billion, roughly on par with the $8.75 billion reported for 2024. By comparison, 2019’s cumulative total was $11.4 billion, underscoring a modest decline in the market.
Hollywood’s Christmas Day box office was the best since the pre-pandemic era, a bright spot after a turbulent year for the industry.
- The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day
- Live-action Moana
- Toy Story 5
- The Mandalorian and Grogu
PG-Rated Films Lead the Pack
For the second consecutive year, PG-rated titles outperformed PG-13 releases. Domestic earnings were $2.87 billion for PG films versus $2.78 billion for PG-13 movies, according to Comscore.
The three biggest Hollywood blockbusters were all PG-rated: Zootopia 2 ($1.42 billion worldwide), Lilo & Stitch ($1.04 billion), and A Minecraft Movie ($958.2 million).
| Rank | Film | Domestic Gross |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avatar: Fire and Ash | $64 million |
| 2 | Zootopia 2 | $20 million |
| 3 | Marty Supreme | $17.5 million |
| 4 | The Housemaid | $15.4 million |
| 5 | Anaconda | $14.6 million |
| 6 | David | $12.7 million |
| 7 | The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants | $11.2 million |
| 8 | Song Sung Blue | $7.6 million |
| 9 | Wicked: For Good | $5.3 million |
| 10 | Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 | $4.4 million |
The table above shows the top ten domestic performers over the holiday weekend, highlighting the dominance of the Avatar franchise and the surprise success of indie titles.
Year in Numbers
Disney crossed $6 billion worldwide, becoming the first studio since 2019 to reach that milestone in a single year. The highest-grossing film of 2025 was China’s Ne Zha 2, generating $2 billion worldwide. The most-watched movie of the year, KPop Demon Hunters, was sold to Netflix by Sony Pictures.
Netflix’s attempt to acquire Warner Bros. and the shift of the Oscars to YouTube reflect broader industry changes, but the domestic market remains steady.
Paul Dergarabedian stated:
> “It was a really solid end to a tumultuous year. It’s been a roller-coaster ride. I think the best news for the industry – I know we kind of say this every year – but if you look at the lineup for 2026, it’s pretty incredible.”
As 2025 wraps up, the box-office picture remains a mix of blockbuster triumphs and indie surprises, setting the stage for a potentially stronger 2026 with a slate of high-profile releases.
Key Takeaways
- Avatar 3’s $88 million Christmas haul cements its place among the biggest franchise entries.
- Marty Supreme’s $27.1 million four-day run shows indie films can compete with studio blockbusters.
- PG-rated titles led domestic earnings, signaling a shift in audience preferences.
