According to trade tracker Sacnilk, James Cameron film Avatar: Fire and Ash has earned around Rs 15.67 crore as of 9 pm on Friday.
After exactly three years since the release of Avatar: The Way of Water, James Cameron returns to the world of Pandora with the third instalment of his iconic Avatar franchise, Avatar: Fire and Ash, continuing the epic saga that redefined cinematic spectacle. The film sees much of the principal cast reprise their roles, including Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Sigourney Weaver, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Giovanni Ribisi, Dileep Rao, Matt Gerald, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Jemaine Clement, Britain Dalton, Trinity Bliss, Jack Champion, Bailey Bass, Filip Geljo, and Duane Evans Jr. Joining the ensemble this time are Oona Chaplin and David Thewlis.
James Cameron began shooting Fire and Ash alongside The Way of Water in New Zealand back in 2017. The extensive filming process reportedly spanned nearly three years and was completed in December 2020. With its ambitious scale, cutting-edge visual effects, and prolonged production timeline, the film is said to be among the most expensive projects ever mounted in cinema history.
Avatar: The Way of Water had its world premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on December 1, followed by an early release in Germany and the Philippines on December 17. In the rest of the world, including India, Fire and Ash hit theatres on December 19.
James Cameron has already confirmed that the Avatar universe will continue to expand, with two more films in the franchise scheduled for release in 2029 and 2031, both currently at various stages of production.
According to industry tracker Sacnilk, Avatar: Fire and Ash is expected to open at around Rs 30 crore in India. By comparison, Avatar: The Way of Water opened at Rs 50 crore and went on to collect nearly Rs 500 crore during its lifetime run.
According to trade tracker Sacnilk, James Cameron film Avatar: Fire and Ash has earned around Rs 15.67 crore as of 9 pm on Friday.
X user @AishFighter opined, "Had such high hopes from Avatar but it doesn't fulfill my expectations. #avatar2 is literally the best in the franchise, I loved it so much but the 3rd part is a let down, had the feeling for 2nd part that it'll do 2b+ but for this one 1.5b max."
User @captain_maamx took to X and wrote, "visually stunning rollercoaster ride but falls many notches short of a true masterpiece..4/5! the first two hour was ABSOLUTE CINEMA..Ganja scene, Neytiri entering into city complex were all JAW DROPPING. but the last 40 min is where I felt disappointed!"
User @Anudeep_Opines shared on X, "#avatarfireandash Top notch visuals,great cinematic experience and better than #avatarthewayofwater.. However story is naturally predictible but keeps u hooked throughout the movie without any major boring moments..watch it in 3D only on best screens."
According to trade tracker Sacnilk, James Cameron film Avatar: Fire and Ash has earned around Rs 13.07 crore as of 8 pm on Friday.
User @arcticninjapaul's note on X read, "#avatarfireandash is like going back to Disney World. You know what to expect and it’s all very familiar, but you have fun nonetheless and it’s hard to complain about a consistent good time, even if there’s nothing new brought to the table. It’s very much like the first two films mashed together with a whole lot of repetition to the formula, but there’s still plenty of fun to be had. Oona Chaplin is a great addition as Varang, while Stephen Lang and Sam Worthington maintain a strong presence respectively. Zoe Saldana doesn’t fare as well, reduced to a lot of hissing and pouting, but still gets a few notable moments. If Cameron continues beyond this one, I hope it finds new ground to tread, as this current path is heavily worn."
Trade analyst Taran_Adarsh shared on X, "'AVATAR' SMASHING ADVANCE SALES – IN CINEMAS NOW... #avatar: Fire And Ash registered phenomenal advance bookings, recording one of the biggest advance sales ever, with over 3 lakh tickets sold – also among the highest advances of the year. That's not all, over 185k tickets were sold on BMS within 24 hours... Almost 6.5 lakhs tickets have been sold for the weekend. Experience the biggest event film, #avatar: Fire And Ash, on the big screen from today [19 Dec 2025] in #english, #hindi, #tamil, #telugu, #malayalam, and #kannada. #avatarfireandash."
Trade analyst Sreedhar Pillai posted on X, "#avatarfireandash Review:My Rating : 3.5/5. Magnificent film making by #jamescameron, with breathtaking dazzling visuals, stunning & perfect next-level 3D visuals. The action sequences (fire clan v/s wind trades) and the climax is thrilling and out of this world! The sexy, dangerous villain the witch like Varang the chief of the Mangkwan clan is terrific and steals the show from more popular faces. However the plot looks jaded and the pace drops and tests your patience. At 3 hours and 17 minutes, it is the longest of the three Avatars. On the whole technically top-notch with jaw-dropping visuals, a must-see theatrical experience."
According to trade tracker Sacnilk, James Cameron film Avatar: Fire and Ash has earned around Rs 11.44 crore as of 6 pm on Friday
User @koti7711 shared on X, "#avatarfireandash is a stunning and somewhat mind-blowing visual experience. James Cameron & Co. deliver yet another riveting, awe-inducing masterclass in world-building. Length is d only drawback. A Pure Theatrical Experience. WORTH WATCH !!
User @HasanMubin98 shared on X, "Today I went to watch Avatar: Fire and Ash. It was definitely worth the money. Some movies are just meant to be watched on the big screen!"
According to trade tracker Sacnilk, James Cameron's latest film Avatar: Fire and Ash has earned around Rs 9.54 crore as of 5 pm on Friday.
Avatar Fire and Ash has received largely mixed reviews and has landed at 69% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the lowest for the franchise till now.
A review called James Cameron's Fire and Ash spectacular to look at but frustrating to watch. "Endless subplots, scattershot character development and borrowed story backfires on Fire and Ash,” the review said.
X user @mildredsfierce2 shared, "Obsessed with everything Oona Chaplin is doing in AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH. She commands the screen & sets it ablaze with fury. Her Varang moves with a mighty understanding of her power & sexuality & has such a dominating presence. I hope she has a role in the rest of the franchise."
A user @KausalyaSuhari1 shared, "As expected, #avatarfireandash is a bore fest. Didn't like the first one, couldn't sit through the second one. Now the same with the third one. Every scene is like done-to-death trope. It just sucks how predictable every scene is. Are the movies only for vfx or what? I think #jamescameron should do a normal social movie just to see how his writing hasn't changed since 80's. And the casual sexism sucks too! #avatarfireandashreview."
Trade site Sacnilk shared that by 3 pm, Avatar: Fire and Ash earned around Rs 7.38 Cr India net on its first day for all languages.
X user @pavansadineni posted, "MASTERPIECE 2009. A bachelor. Sat in a theatre and watched Avatar not knowing how deeply it would stay with me.2025. A family. Watching Avatar: Fire and Ash today with my daughter beside me… felt like life coming full circle. Like Sully’s journey , from finding a world to protecting a family.Thank you JAMES CAMERON sir for spending 25 years of your life imagining, believing, and building this universe. Fire and Ash is truly special visually breathtaking, emotionally beautiful, and powerful in every way. An out of this world experience, the way cinema is meant to be seen. This is a must-watch for families, for children, for everyone. The love for nature, respect for life, and the idea of protecting what we belong to these are lessons our kids should grow up with. Some films entertain. Some films stay with you. This one… becomes part of your life. #avatarfireandash."
X page @Thyview shared Avatar Fire and Ash's review that read, "James Cameron returns with a visual masterpiece in #avatarfireandash. The world of Pandora grows even larger with the fascinating new Ash tribe and their leader, Varang. The special effects and action scenes are stunning, making it a true theatrical event. However, the story feels too familiar. The plot is predictable, which weakens the emotional impact compared to the last film. While the technical skills are perfect, the drama often lacks tension. It is beautiful to watch, but the writing plays it safe. Final Word : A VISUAL MARVEL with a safe story."
The Indian Express' film critic Shalini Langer gave Avatar Fire and Ash Movie a 3.5 star and wrote in her Avatar Fire and Ash Movie review, "James Cameron builds his world on a familiar template. Avatar Fire and Ash movie review: The one person who single handedly shakes that equanimity, enlivening Fire and Ash, is a villain with sex, spice and all things vice. The film remains very much rooted in its imagination of Pandora."
A fan @kameshuprasadu posted on X, "Avatar Fire And Ash is technically much more sophisticated and has some brilliant visuals! I only wish it could have a better emotional connection with the characters like it's previous installments! Fully Enjoyed watching it in Imax as the whole film is presented in PLF!"
A fan @JamesPPoole shared on X, "AVATAR: FIRE & ASH is another marked improvement on blockbuster perfection. The tech, action, and crucially the heart all reach new heights in a film that is nothing short of divinity given cinematic form. An utterly transportive experience that earns it runtime. Bring on 4 & 5."
"Just left Avatar: Fire and Ash screening. This is hands-down the best thing I’ve ever seen since Interstellar. I’ve never cried in a movie for a very long time, as much as this.This has to be the EASIEST choice for Best Picture winner at the Oscars. I’m gonna watch this like 5 more times IMAX @officialavatar, "wrote X user @RinoTheBouncer.
According to a report by Variety, Avatar 3: Fire and Ash is expected to open with $90–105 million from around 3,800 theatres at the domestic box office. Internationally, the film is projected to earn an additional $250–275 million, taking its global opening weekend haul to an estimated $340–365 million.
For comparison, James Cameron’s original Avatar opened to $232 million worldwide in 2009, while Avatar: The Way of Water debuted with a much bigger $441 million globally. If these projections hold, Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to open between the two earlier films, placing it among the biggest global openings in cinema history.
X user @Cade_Onder posted, "Avatar: Fire and Ash is a relentlessly bleak experience, but highly rewarding. I cried 5 times. There’s a rawness here not present in most other blockbusters. The fact it can manage to do so much with its themes without compromising its ungodly scope and scale is unbelievable."
Filmmaker James Cameron earlier shared his thoughts on the idea of Artificial Intelligence replacing humans in films and said it's nothing but horrifying. Cameron, known for acclaimed films such as Titanic and the Avatar franchise, said he loves working with the actors and doesn't want generative AI to take over it. Cameron noted that today's AI-driven tools pose a different challenge altogether. "Now, go to the other end of the spectrum, and you've got generative AI, where they can make up a character. They can make up an actor. They can make up a performance from scratch with a text prompt. It's like, no. That's horrifying to me. That's the opposite. That's exactly what we're not doing," he told in an interview with ANI.
"Fire and Ash can be frustrating in some regards, but I had a great time with this film and will always appreciate being swept up in James Cameron’s insane mind. There’s nothing else like Avatar, and I will always be back," read a Avatar Fire and Ash Movie Review on X.
X user @theFLICKpick shared Avatar Fire and Ash Review that read, "#avatarfireandash is a visually stunning spectacle, BUT half the movie felt like a filler, copy-paste retread of the first two movies with questionable character decisions. The other half was genuinely compelling and continued the story. Cameron knows how to make a blockbuster."
A review on X read, "Every moment between Quaritch and Varang is filled with tension and seduction, and I was here for it. Cameron still doesn’t know how teenagers talk at all, and I was starting to lose it if I had to hear any of them say “bro” one more time. I think one of the film’s biggest weak spots is when it tries to just repeat what we’ve seen in the last two films, which you see a lot unfortunately in that final hour. I never loved the Tulkun stuff in the last film, and that’s back here in full force (including a whale trial), but it did have more payoff here. Also, depending on if we get an Avatar 4, I felt the ending was really abrupt and some of the plot threads could’ve gotten more closure.
X user @SJTimes13 posted Avatar Fire and Ash Review that read, "Avatar: Fire and Ash is James Cameron at his most unhinged. This is a massive, bizarre, and beautiful epic that I’m still collecting myself from. I have so many thoughts. Cameron asks A LOT from the audience on this one, and I’m curious how most will react. I was mostly very on board with this wild journey. I loved everything with the Ash People and honestly wish we focused more on them and less on the humans."
As Avatar Fire and Ash first reviews stared to come in, James Cameron's film found itself under fire, with critics calling out the filmmaker for making the same film all over again. James Cameron film fails to bring something new as fans of the series are expecting another great flick. READ MORE
@BlackMajikMan90 posted Avatar Fire and Ash Movie Review on X that read, "Avatar: Fire and Ash is 100% my jam and I don’t care what any of these miserable curmudgeons say. Another three hour visual feast with the characters I’ve grown to love and expanding the world of Pandora like never before. Give me Avatar 4 and 5 right now!!
X user @TorukVonTrier shared via X, "Avatar: Fire and Ash is absolutely spellbinding. The fastest 3 hours I've ever experienced in a theater. I thought to myself "that's the coolest thing I've ever seen" every five minutes. Heartfelt, soulful, captivating and operatic cinema. Wow."
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