After just two weekends out in the wild, James Cameron’s stunning sci-fi epic, Avatar: Fire and Ash, has blown past another sci-fi masterpiece directed by Christopher Nolan. Hitting theaters on Dec. 19, 2025, Fire and Ash returns fans to Pandora for an all-new adventure that sees the Na’vi face off against their biggest threat yet: Themselves. Thus far, the film has been a roaring success for Cameron and company, which spells good news for fans looking forward to the planned fourth and fifth movies in the hugely popular franchise.
Following a successful second weekend, Avatar: Fire and Ash has now grossed a worldwide total of around $760 million, with $217 million of that being from the United States and Canada. That’s enough for it to topple Christopher Nolan’s modern sci-fi classic, Interstellar. Released in 2014, the Matthew McConaughey picture concluded its domestic run with a little over $203 million, and five Academy Award nominations. There’s little doubt that Cameron’s film will itself garner a ton of Oscar attention, but it still has a few days to go before it beats Interstellar completely. By the time it was all said and done, Nolan’s movie grossed a worldwide total of $773 million, which is $13 million more than Avatar: Fire and Ash.
Starring the likes of Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, and Kate Winslet, Avatar: Fire and Ash comes hot on the heels of 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water, which was the follow-up to 2009’s Avatar. While it was 13 years between the first and second movies in the franchise, fans didn’t have to wait as long for the third entry, and – thankfully – won’t have long to wait for the next two, either. Avatar 4 is planned for 2029, while Avatar 5 is expected to arrive in 2031. The synopsis for the new film reads:
“Avatar: Fire and Ash introduces a fierce new Na’vi clan shaped by volcanic, fire-scarred lands, pushing Jake Sully and Neytiri into a darker chapter of Pandora’s story. As tensions rise between cultures and humanity’s threat persists, the film explores grief, rage, and moral conflict within the Na’vi world.”
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ and ‘Interstellar’ Are Neck and Neck with Fans
Holding a Certified Fresh rating of 73% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, Interstellar is the clear favorite among pundits, who only gave Avatar: Fire and Ash a 67% score. That being said, the two sci-fi movies are neck and neck with fans, who love both for different reasons.
Boasting a Verified Hot score of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, Avatar: Fire and Ash sits just three points higher than Interstellar’s audience score of 87%. People have called Nolan’s movie everything from a “profound, soul-stirring journey” to “a classic for decades to come.” Meanwhile, Cameron’s flick has also been earning high praise from fans, who deem it “entertaining,” “fantastic,” and “action-packed.” As one user put it in their review:
“James Cameron doesn’t just direct; he transcends. With Avatar: Fire and Ash, he delivers incredible direction that masterfully blends technique and heart. But it’s the screenplay that truly surprises: a profound and unexpectedly spiritual storyline that explores the darker nuances of Pandora, proving that this franchise still possesses a vibrant and complex soul.”
Avatar: Fire and Ash is now playing in theaters everywhere from 20th Century Studios, and Interstellar can currently be found streaming on Paramount+.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
