- Avatar: Fire and Ash £6,062,546 – £20,753,953
Down 32.8% in its second weekend
£1.74m 28.7% (-43.7% £3.09m) Fri; £2.08m 34.3% (-29.5% £2.95m) Sat; £2.2m 37% (-24.5% £2.97m) Sun and £1.95m Monday and £1.84m Tuesday
66th biggest second weekend between iT Part 1 and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (close to Wonka, Black Panther Wakanda Forever, The Lego Movie and Star Wars: Attack of the Clones) and 128th biggest inflated second weekend between Deadpool and Star Wars: Rogue One (close to Labyrinth, Tomorrow Never Dies, Mrs. Doubtfire and Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 1).
5th biggest 2025 opening between Lilo & Stitch and Superman (close to Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, Zootropolis 2, Mission Impossible 8 and Jurassic World Rebirth).
In the second weekend, Avatar: Fire and Ash took 58.4% more than Avatar and 21.9% more than Avatar: The Way of Water, but impossible to compare with either, as it’s been 16 years since Avatar opened and the second weekend of Avatar: Fire and Ash, Christmas Day was Sunday.
2009’s Avatar dropped 55% £3,828,123/£5,439,594 and £18,404,659 19.7% of £93,442,625/£136,900,316
2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water dropped 55.5% £4,974,004 and £25,034,122, 32.6% of £76,725,041/£79,518,67; 3D 45.3%; IMAX/3D 12% 54 screens and 2D 2.7%
In 2009, Avatar took 85%+ from 3D with IMAX (9 screens) and 2D (300+), taking about 7%; Avatar 2 took much more in 2D (41%) with 47% 3D and 12% IMAX; Avatar 3 took similar from 3D/premium formats, including about 12% from 61 IMAX cinemas.
Avatar 2 was #1 for 7 weeks, similar to 2000’s Gladiator, 1996’s Independence Day and 1994’s Four Weddings and a Funeral, but Avatar: Fire and Ash will remain at the top for fewer weeks; it could lose #1 against Hamnet next weekend.
The 7 James Cameron-directed films have taken £400m at the UK BO and £600m+ inflation inflated.
It’s the 12th biggest 2025 between F1 and Captain America: Brave New World (close to Zootropolis 2, How To Train Your Dragon, The Conjuring: Last Rites and Sinners).
297th biggest between Shakespeare In Love and Johnny English Reborn (close to Star Trek, Monsters vs. Aliens, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves) and 549th biggest inflated between A Few Good Men and Kill Bill Volume One (close to Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Beverly Hills Cop, Terminator Salvation and Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny).
James Cameron said in 2006 he would like to make sequels if the first film was successful; now he has said something similar about making more than four Avatar films. While Avatar 3 will take less than previous two films, its more about merchandising and theme park opportunities for Disney, as they might have taken $32bn worldwide over the last 20 years, they will have taken double this in 2025 for merchandising sales, as Yoghurt said in Spaceballs “Merchandising, merchandising, where the real money from the movie is made”.
Avatar: The Way Of Water increased 54% in its third weekend (due to 2 day weekend previously), taking £7,643,764 and £44,971,330, 58.61% of £76,725,041
Similar to Avatar up 55.2% £5,940,479/£8,441,159 and £32,815,618 35.1% of £93,442,625/£132,777,848
While Avatar: Fire and Ash will drop about 30% in its third weekend similar to its second weekend taking about £4.5m and £33m which will be about 60% of its final BO of £55m which wi ll be about 30% less than Avatar: The Way Of Water and over 40% less than Avatar but with inflation it will be over 60% less.
- 2. The Housemaid £4,423,435 – NE
Included £1,365,848 from previews.
Took £705k 15.94% Friday; £1.07m 24.19% Saturday; £593k 13.41% Sunday; and £1.25m Monday and £1.3m Tuesday.
383rd biggest opening between Batman Begins and Mufasa: The Lion King (close to It Ends With Us, Minority Report, Marley & Me and Ghostbusters (2016) and 563rd highest inflation between Ralph Breaks The Internet and Mufasa: The Lion King (close to Bridesmaids, Starship Troopers, The Truman Show and The Others).
18th biggest 2025 opening between 28 Years Later and Downton Abbey 3 (close to Thunderbolts, Nosferatu, Final Destination: Bloodlines and Snow White).
What makes this weekend genuinely surprising isn’t Avatar behaving exactly as expected — it’s that two adult-skewing films, neither designed for family viewing, are playing strongly during the Christmas holidays. In a period normally dominated by animation and nostalgia comfort food, The Housemaid and Marty Supreme suggest that adult audiences haven’t disappeared — they’ve just been waiting for something aimed at them.
What’s especially striking is that The Housemaid, despite having no IMAX, PLF or 3D support, is actually delivering higher admissions than Avatar: Fire and Ash. That alone reframes the weekend. While premium formats continue to inflate the grosses of tentpoles, it’s films like The Housemaid — and Marty Supreme — that matter most to exhibitors in the long run. These are titles with strong legs, outperforming expectations, and crucially, bringing audiences back into cinemas rather than simply extracting maximum spend from a predictable base.
The audience for films like Avatar: Fire and Ash and Zootropolis 2 is known in advance. Their turnout can be modelled, forecast, and monetised through pricing and formats. What can’t be predicted — and what the industry desperately needs — is whether adult audiences will connect with films like The Housemaid and Marty Supreme. When they do, the impact is disproportionate: repeat visits, word-of-mouth, sustained playdates, and a healthier mid-market.
Freida McFadden’s novel sold over 4.5m copies (including over 750,000 in the UK) and was on the Amazon best-seller list for 83 weeks and generated a lot of attention on social media, including TikTok.
The Housemaid has been compared to 2016’s The Girl on the Train and also the recent BBC TV drama The Guest, as both feature a young woman who takes the job of a housekeeper in an expensive home with a perfect couple, but they have hidden secrets. The Guest had over 3.5m viewers in September on BBC One.
It’s also comparable to films like Parasite, Gone Girl, Fatal Attraction, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, and Speak No Evil.
Paul Feig directed 2018’s A Simple Favor, and its sequel, Another Simple Favour, was released on Amazon in May. The sequel starred Michele Morrone, who also stars in The Housemaid. Paul Feig is best known for directing 2011’s Bridesmaids, 2013’s The Heat, 2015’s Spy, 2016’s Ghostbusters and 2019’s Last Christmas.
Sydney Sweeney has had an up and down 2025, receiving critical acclaim for her performance in Christy, but failed to find an audience and also generated controversy featuring in an American Eagle jeans campaign with the slogan “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.”
Two years ago, Sydney Sweeney starred in the rom-com Anyone, But You alongside Glen Powell, who recently struggled on his own in The Running Man reboot, and Sydney Sweeney leads The Housemaid, but has had a boost from Sabrina Carpenter with a creepy version of her song Please, Please, Please.
The Housemaid received positive reviews, and audience reactions have been even better as word-of-mouth spreads. It’s likely to have strong legs into the New Year, and it’s also helped as it’s very different to the other films released targeting younger audiences and males.
The Housemaid is directed by Paul Feig. Paul Feig is best known for directing 2011’s Bridesmaids, 2013’s The Heat, 2015’s Spy, 2018’s A Simple Favor and 2019’s Last Christmas.
Freida McFadden’s novel sold over 750,000 copies in the UK and was on the Amazon best-seller list for 83 weeks, and generated a lot of attention on social media, including TikTok.
The Housemaid has been compared to 2016’s The Girl on the Train and also the recent BBC TV drama The Guest, as both feature a young woman who takes the job of a housekeeper in an expensive home with a perfect couple, but they have hidden secrets. The Guest had over 3.5m viewers in September on BBC One.
It’s also comparable to films like Parasite, Gone Girl, Fatal Attraction and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle.
2018’s A Simple Favour opened £1,621,900, taking £4,930,383
2016’s The Girl on the Train opened £6,957,945 (including £1,783,789 previews) taking £23,372,415/£24,981,043
2014’s Gone Girl opened £4,109,628/£4,843,490 taking £22,370,392/£26,365,105
2000’s What Lies Beneath opened £2,258,893/£4,066,007 taking £13,827,135/£24,888,844
1992’s The Hand That Rocks the Cradle opened £1,001,221/£2,470,302 taking £5,950,847/£14,682,464
1988’s Fatal Attraction opened £904,240/£3,113,731 taking £15,441,564/£53,172,690
- 3. The SpongeBob Movie: Search For Squarepants £3,040,335 – NE
Included £1,978,062 from 6 days of previews.
Took £204k 6.71% Friday; £387k 12.73% Saturday; £275k 9.05% Sunday; and £515k Monday and £519k Tuesday.
581st biggest opening between Scream VI and Little Fockers (close to How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Trolls Band Together, Ice Age and Horton Hears a Who) and 887th biggest inflated opening between Beauty and the Beast (1992) and Fred Claus (close to Stuart Little, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Heat, and You’ve Got Mail).
22nd biggest 2025 opening between Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 and We Live In Time (close to Snow White, Dog Man, A Complete Unknown and Karate Kid: Legends)
The fourth film based on the SpongeBob SquarePants TV show premiered at the AFI Film Festival in October, receiving positive reviews.
2005’s The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie opened £1,252,322/£2,119,110, taking £5,364,336/£9,077,231
2015’s SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water 3D opened £2,262,498/£2,500,986, taking £7,989,048/£8,831,167
The most recent film, 2021’s The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, was due to have a cinema release in the UK, but international rights were sold to Netflix in July 2020 due to COVID; it was one of several Paramount films sold to Netflix and Amazon due to COVID.
SpongeBob had 5 days of previews from December 20th, having an 8-day opening weekend; the two weeks of Christmas are the most lucrative of the year.
Paramount Pictures has positioned The SpongeBob Movie in the same slot 20th Century Fox did with Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 in 2009, the weekend after Avatar opened and with its extended previews, Alvin 2 replaced Avatar #1 for its second weekend.
- 4. Zootropolis 2 £1,554,098 – £22,532,547
Down 17.3% in its fifth weekend
Took £292k 18.79% Friday; £593k 38.16% Saturday; £669k 43.05% Sunday; and £823k Monday; £866k Tuesday.
78th biggest fifth weekend between Slumdog Millionaire and POTC: The Curse of the Black Pearl (close to The Jungle Book, Mufasa: The Lion King, Finding Dory and A Bug’s Life) and 165th inflated fifth weekend between The Inbetweeners Movie and About A Boy (close to Evita, Happy Feet, What Women Want and Crocodile Dundee II).
19th biggest animation fifth weekend between Moana and Despicable Me 4 (close to The Grinch, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., and Arthur Christmas) and 35th biggest inflated animation fifth weekend between Finding Dory and Despicable Me 4 (close to Shrek 2, Ice Age III, Despicable Me 4 and Inside Out).
5th biggest Disney animation fifth weekend between Moana and Tangled (close to Ralph Breaks the Internet, Big Hero 6, The Lion King (1994) and Lilo & Stitch (2002) and 8th biggest Disney inflated animation fifth weekend between Moana and Ralph Breaks the Internet (close to Hercules, Beauty and the Beast (1992), Pocahontas and Chicken Little)
As seen with Zootropolis 2 taking similar BO in its fifth weekend to other November animation releases, including Moana, The Grinch, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., and Arthur Christmas, the low drop wasn’t a surprise, as it had a boost with school holidays starting.
2024’s Moana 2 up 7.63% £2,214,589 and £33,768,201 79.72% of £42,357,963
2019’s Frozen 2 dropped 32.2% £2,168,359 and £41,786,546 78.03% of £53,549,035
2016’s Zootropolis dropped 40.3% £674,337/£703,458 and £21,572,159 90.7% of £23,461,047/£25,075,775
Zootropolis dropped heavily as it opened before Easter, and its fifth weekend was during school term.
9th biggest 2025 film between The Fantastic Four and How To Train Your Dragon (close to Mission Impossible 8, F1, Sinners and Thunderbolts), biggest animated film in 2025, ahead of Dog Man (£13.88m) and The Bad Guys 2 (£14.64m).
254th biggest between Fifty Shades Darker and The Lion King (1994) (close to Transformers, X-Men, Gone Girl and Bridesmaids) and 494th biggest inflated between Wayne’s World and Mr and Mrs Smith (close to Sleepless in Seattle, Cliffhanger, The Others and The Devil Wears Prada).
52nd biggest animated film between Shark Tale and The Lion King (199) (close to Wreck-It Ralph, Trolls, Madagascar and Toy Story) and 76th biggest inflated animated film between The Hunchback Of Notre Dame and Kung Fu Panda 4 (close to Bolt, Beauty and the Beast (1992), Chicken Little and The Smurfs (2011).
- 5. Marty Supreme £1,388,196 – NE
Took £447k 32.20% Friday; £459k 33.07% Saturday; £482k 34.73% Sunday; and £421k Monday and £410k Tuesday.
1,327th biggest opening between This is the End and Be Kind Rewind (close to Trainspotting, Phone Booth, Longlegs and 12 Monkeys) and 1,954th biggest inflated opening between The Prince of Tides and My Best Friend’s Girl (close to Lost in Translation, The Big Short, The Game and The Fisher King).
41st biggest 2025 opening between Ballerina and Deliver Me From Nowhere (close to Freakier Friday, The Salt Road, Materialists and The Amateur).
Marty Supremere’s BO doesn’t tell the complete story, as it opened in less than a quarter of the screens (132), all other films were playing in, and with the other films taking the bigger screens, it was demoted to the smallest screens, which meant it sold out many shows over the weekend. Marty Supreme, as The Housemaid, received positive reviews but even better word of mouth, which will mean it will see an increase in its second weekend, expanding into many more screens, including Cineworld and Vue cinemas.
It’s films like Marty Supreme and The Housemaid that might take a quarter of the BO of A Minecraft Movie, Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, Wicked – Part 2 and Avatar: Fire and Ash, but they have a bigger impact on BO. While those other films are always expected to take their BO, films like Marty Supreme and The Housemaid attract other audiences.
Timothée Chalamet has reignited the classic Hollywood archetype of the movie star whose charisma transcends gender and genre. Like screen icons such as Paul Newman, Warren Beatty, or Robert Redford, Chalamet draws audiences not merely to a story, but to him—his presence becomes the event. Whether he’s playing a folk legend in A Complete Unknown or a ping-pong hustler in Marty Supreme, the specific subject becomes secondary; people come to witness his unique blend of vulnerability, style, and magnetism. This is the same appeal that drove viewers to Dune: Part Two even without a prior interest in sci-fi, and it echoes the way Newman turned pool halls into compelling drama in The Hustler.
In stepping into the role of Marty Reisman, Chalamet isn’t just portraying another real-life figure—he’s consciously entering a lineage of charismatic anti-heroes defined by talent, swagger, and outsider cool. The project can be seen as a modern successor to Newman’s iconic hustler roles, filtered through today’s lens of emotional depth and artistic prestige. Chalamet represents a rare contemporary fusion: an actor whose artistic credibility and movie-star aura allow him to elevate niche stories into mainstream attractions, proving that pure screen magnetism still defines true stardom.
Timothée Chalamet could be seen as Generation Z’s Tom Hanks, as through his blend of preternatural talent, discerning project choices, and transgressive yet relatable charisma, is following the award-winning, audience-unifying blueprint of a Tom Hanks. He is becoming the defining and most trusted cinematic presence for his generation, turning every film—whether about love, war, space, or ping-pong—into a must-see event centred on his extraordinary ability to connect.
To promote the film, Timothée Chalamet had a Zoom call with the A24 marketing team, presenting marketing ideas for the film.
Timothée Chalamet has recently starred in A Complete Unknown, Dune Part 2, Wonka and will star in Dune Part 3 next year. A Complete Unknown opened £2,616,302, taking £11,887,982.
Also opened
• Anaconda – £1,274,698 #5
Took £364k 28.57% Friday; £459k 36.03% Saturday; £451k 35.40% Sunday; took £461k Monday and £453k Tuesday.
1,449th biggest opening between The Santa Clause 3 and Date Night (close to Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Shallow Hal, Horrible Bosses 2 and Matilda) and 2,082nd biggest inflated opening between Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story and All the Money in the World (close to Where The Wild Things Are, Along Came A Spider, Masters of the Universe and The Fly II).
Action-comedy reboot of the 1997 film, a film within a film with two people trying to make their own Anaconda remake, only to find a real Anaconda. Jack Black previously starred in Tropic Thunder, which was also a film within a film, and other films include Bowfinger, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, The Player, Adaptation and Living in Oblivion.
Sony Pictures and Jack Black had recent success with Jumanji, with the next due for release in December 2026. As the Jumanji films were the perfect alternative to Star Wars films.
The original 1997 film opened £567,015/£1,103,380 243 screens, taking £1,371,491/£2,668,847.
While 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle opened with £8,154,548, taking £36,968,605.
And 2008’s Tropic Thunder opened £2,483,271/£3,782,213 taking £8,387,745/£12,775,181.
As Anaconda has held steadily on Mon/Tues, it will have a minimal second weekend drop.
—-
Year-to-date, still 1% ahead of 2024.
The weekend’s top 10 box office took £19,220,402 up 40.4% from last weekend’s £13,689,612: 2,483,256 admissions, up 40.x% from 1,768,684 admissions.
The 8th biggest weekend of the last 52 weeks between 04 April 2025 #1 A Minecraft Movie £15,013,136 (77.30%) and 30 May 2025 #1 Lilo & Stitch £6,139,573 (36.15%)
22nd biggest since cinemas reopened out of 267 weeks between 27 May 2022 #1 Top Gun Maverick £15,931,497 (82.60%) and 15 October 2021 #1 No Time To Die £8,404,165 (43.87%)
100th biggest top 10 of the last 24 years (out of 1,238) between 27 October 2017 #1 Thor: Ragnarok £12,375,804 (64.29%) and 14 July 2017 #1 War for the Planet of the Apes £7,195,773 (37.47%) and 221st biggest inflated between 05 March 2010 #1 Alice in Wonderland £10,555,220 (71.29%) and 10 November 2017 #1 Paddington 2 £8,260,160 (44.41%)
The top 3 took £13,526,316 (70.4%) of the top 10; Avatar: Fire and Ash 31.54% (£6,062,54); The Housemaid 23.01% (£4,423,435) £3,040,335; The Spongebob Movie: Search For Squarepants 15.82% (£3,040,335)
702nd biggest percentage share #1 (31.54%) between 23 September 2005 #1 Pride and Prejudice £1,934,083 (31.57%) and 18 February 2011 #1 Paul £5,517,121 (31.54%)
416th biggest admissions (784,288) between 11 May 2018 #1 Avengers: Infinity War £5,706,170 (790,328) and 06 August 2010 #1 Toy Story 3 £4,666,021 (784,205)
Down 21.33% from 2024; (£24,433,177); Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (£11,760,314); Better Man (£1,568,933); Sonic the Hedgehog 3 £11,760,314 1st week 639 screens (48.13% of top 10)
Up 19.53% from 2023; (£16,079,436); Ferrari (£1,981,677); The Boy And The Heron (£1,640,667); Anyone But You (£1,253,694); Next Goal Wins (£844,604); Ice Age (Re: 2023) (£24,554); #1 Wonka £6,672,464 4th week 8% drop 779 screens (41.50% of top 10)
Up 34.06% 2022 (£7,861,021); no new releases 2-day weekend as Sunday was Christmas Day; #1 Avatar: The Way of Water 2nd week £4,974,004 732 screens (63.27% of top 10)
Up 126.69% 2021 (£8,478,878); The Matrix: Resurrections (£2,686,785); #1 Spider-Man No Way Home £4,619,518 2nd week 84% (76% not previews) drop 656 screens (54.5% of top 10)
Up 21,007.64% 2020; (£91,059); #1 Wonder Woman 1984 £72,674; #2 Home Alone £3,840; #3 Come Away £3,245; #1 Wonder Woman 1984 £72,674 214 screens 2nd weekend (79.8% of top 10)
Down 19.24% 2019; (£23,799,781); Little Women (£3,578,877); Spies in Disguise (£1,487,638); Playing with Fire (£762,850); #1 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker £9,311,240 2nd week 741 screens 55% drop (39.1% of top 10)
Down 8.77% 2018: (£21,066,980); Bumblebee (£5,103,382); Holmes & Watson (£1,418,030); #1 Mary Poppins Returns £7,441,687 2nd week 10% drop 740 screens (35.32% of the top 10)
Down 21.66% 2017: (£24,534,387); The Greatest Showman (£4,754,049); Berliner Philharmoniker: New Year’s Eve Concert (£61,387); #1 Star Wars: The Last Jedi £7,975,174 3rd week 22% drop 691 screens (32.51% of top 10)
Up 11.01% 2016: (£12,473,395); Passengers (£2,418,976); Ballerina (£1,094,317); It’s a Wonderful Life (Re-release) (£130,016); #1 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story £5,652,730 2nd week 680 screens 67% drop (45.3% of the top 10)
Up 12.73% 2015; (£17,525,083); Snoopy and Charlie Brown: A Peanuts Movie (£3,639,383); Daddy’s Home (£1,628,219); In the Heart of the Sea (£570,543); #1 Star Wars: The Force Awakens £10,164,805 2nd week 665 screens (58% of top 10)
Up 17.32% 2014: (£16,382,437); Exodus: Gods and Kings (£2,607,453); Annie (£2,310,453); Unbroken (£656,991); Big Eyes (£135,582); #1 The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies £4,249,226 3rd week 601 screens 21% drop (25.9% of top 10)
Down 6% 2013: (£18,132,029); The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (£2,235,612); 47 Ronin (£1,415,252); All Is Lost (£231,595); Justin Bieber’s Believe (£205,242); #1 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug £5,450,824 3rd week 589 screens up 2% (30.06% of top 10)
Down 5.63% 2012: (£20,367,014); Jack Reacher (£3,575,066); Parental Guidance (£1,293,400); Midnight’s Children (£101,725); Safety Not Guaranteed (£33,028); #1 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey £6,850,728 3rd week up 15% 596 screens (33.64% of top 10)
Down 1.76% 2011; (£19,565,424); Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (£8,188,209); The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (£4,325,594); The Lady (£91,690); The Artist (£48,445); Hannah and Her Sisters (Re: 2011) (£2,548); #1 Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol £8,188,209 509 screens (41.85% of top 10)
Up 12.15% 2010: (£17,137,638); Gulliver’s Travels (£7,028,747); Love and Other Drugs (£1,606,253); The Way Back (£1,327,650); #1 Gulliver’s Travels £7,028,747 1st week 497 screens
Up 38.20% 2009; (£13,907,548); Alvin And The Chipmunks II (£5,347,191); Sherlock Holmes (£3,439,616); 3 Idiots (£437,554); Nowhere Boy (£148,157); #1 Alvin And The Chipmunks II£5,347,191 1st week (38.4% of top 10)
Up 109.26% 2008; (£9,184,877); Yes Man (£2,331,490); Bedtime Stories (£1,551,605); Australia (£1,294,414); #1 Yes Man £2,331,490 1st week (25.4% of top 10)
Down 9.59% 2007: (£21,258,964); I Am Legend (£11,009,365); Balls of Fury (£638,761); The Kite Runner (£468,592); #1 I Am Legend £11,009,365 1st week 440 screens (51.8% of top 10)
Up 26.19% 2006; (£15,231,586); Night at the Museum (£7,690,312); It’s a Boy Girl Thing (£1,141,268); #1 Night at the Museum £7,690,312 1st week 488 screens (50.5% of top 10)
Up 63.24% 2005: (£11,774,274); Cheaper By The Dozen 2 (£2,287,967); The Producers (£1,311,179); Just Like Heaven (£1,201,381) #1 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe £2,994,438 3rd week 2nd 1 over 3 weeks 527 screens 41% drop (47.7% of top 10)
Up 504.24% 2004; (£3,180,924); National Treasure (£312,784); House of Flying Daggers (£251,498); The Aviator (platform) (£23,835); #1 The Polar Express 4th week 1st #1 41% drop 452 screens (21.6% of top 10)
Up 59.04% 2003 (£12,084,935); Peter Pan (£1,359,372); Cold Mountain (£380,994); Out of Time (£311,508); #1 Lord of the Rings: Return of the King £7,149,427 2nd week 59.2% of top 10)
Up 45.02% from 2002: (£13,253,300); Chicago (platform) (£113,386); Blood Work (£61,053); #1 Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers £8,177,801 2nd week 499 screens 37% (61.7% of top 10)
Up 34.54% from 2001 (£14,285,925); The Mean Machine (£1,573,594); Serendipity (£635,042); #1 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings £7,825,995 2nd week 470 screens 29% drop (54.8% of top 10).
2024 Next week: (£19,627,945); Nosferatu (£5,246,910); We Live In Time (£2,843,517); Nickel Boys (£127,219); Nosferatu £5,246,910 1st week 623 screens (26.73% of top 10).
US Box Office
It’s easy for the industry to get giddy about the two most lucrative weeks of the year to tell Netflix there is a massive theatrical market, but the problem is that people don’t go to the cinema as often over the other 50 weekends of the year. While other tentpoles cannibalise the market, as Avengers: Doomsday will do next Christmas. While rival studies gave Avatar: Fire and Ash apace after it wasn’t as huge as Avatar, they saw there was space for other films as Sony Pictures did in 2017 with Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle Vs Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
It’s also fine to preach to Netflix if US BO was getting close to 2019 levels, but not when they will come short of expectations, taking $8.8bn instead of the expected $9bn for months, and admissions are almost half of 2002, about 800m. With BO for films like Avatar 3 taking 605 from IMAX/PLF/3D, US BO should be closer to $15bn. The problem since COVID, the industry has lowered expectations of what is a hit, as in 2019 a film taking $400m was a disappointment now it’s seen as a hit.
- Avatar: Fire and Ash – 20th Century Studios
Down 29% in its second weekend, $60.8m and $216.91m
36th biggest second weekend between Avatar: The Way of Water and Alice in Wonderland (close to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Wicked: For Good and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom)
Played in 3,800 cinemas; 430 3D IMAX taking $8.7m; 1,050 PLF 80% 3D, 175 Dolby; 380 D-Box/4DX and 120 ScreenX.
EnTelligence said Fire and Ash 2D standard $16.66 and IMAX/PLF/3D $19.82.
194th biggest between Hancock and The Bourne Ultimatum; 595th biggest inflated between Risky Business and Under Siege; 20th biggest 2025 between How to Train Your Dragon and Captain America: Brave New World; 43rd biggest sci-fi film between Signs and Back to the Future.
EntTelligence says admissions for Jan. 1-Dec. 22 are 745m from average ticket prices of $13.29 and premium upcharge tickets at $17.65, but of course, the industry still believes the average is closer to $11.51.
Taken $96m from IMAX worldwide; $10.8m US and $65.2m internationally; in 1,703 IMAX cinemas worldwide and will play in all of them until January.
2009’s Avatar dropped 1.8% $75.61m/$126.5m and $212.71m/$355.86m of $749.76m/$1.25bn
Avatar played in 3,129 3D screens at 2,038 cinemas and 178 IMAX cinemas.
After 45 days of release, Avatar overtook Titanic to become the biggest film globally $ with 2.039bn and went on to take $749.76m in the US (held #1 for 7 weeks; Titanic was #1 for 15 weeks), $1.99bn internationally and $2.743bn worldwide. It remained the biggest film globally until Avengers: Endgame overtook it after 91 days of release. Avatar retained its #1 global status after it was re-released in China in March 2021. (Avatar took $262m in China).
2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water dropped 52.8% $63.33m and $261.01m from $688.45 m and $2.34bn worldwide; in over 52,000 screens worldwide in over 160 different versions globally, including 3D, 4K, HFR48, ScreenX and 4DX.
Second weekends
Avatar took $145m in its second weekend internationally from 14,844 screens in 108 countries (including $12.1m from IMAX) in 2009, $405m total and $617m worldwide.
Avatar 2 took $168.6m (down 45.2%) from 52 territories, $601.7m total, and $855.4m worldwide; China $100.5m ($25.8m 26.2% from IMAX); Korea $53m; France $52.3m; India $37m; Germany $35.7m; UK $30.3m. Ahead of opening, it was expected to take upwards of $500m in China, but the latest estimate is $170m; IMAX took $27.6m worldwide; an international total of $62.8m and $97m worldwide.
Took $181.2m from 51 territories $542.7m total and $760.4m worldwide; China $99.6m; France $54.4m; Germany $43.1m; S. Korea – $32.1m; UK $27.7m; Mexico $22.3m; India $18.8m; Spain $18.4m; Italy $17.7m; Australia $17.6m; Indonesia $12.5m; Brazil $10.6m.
109th biggest worldwide between Shrek the Third and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
- Zootopia 2 – Disney
Up 35% in its fifth weekend, $12m and $278m.
100th biggest third weekend between Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Lincoln (close to Moana 2, The Incredibles, Despicable Me 2 and The Princess and the Frog).
EntTelligence said the average ticket price was $14.42; the average PLF ticket was $18.
2016’s Zootopia dropped 27.6% $37.16m and $200.92m of $341.3m/$454.1m and $1.025bn/$1.4bn worldwide
2016’s Moana dropped 34.4% $18.53m and $144.7m of $248.75m and $643.33m worldwide
2024’s Moans 2 dropped 48.3% $26.49m and $337.39m of $460.4m and $1.059bn WW
Social media for Zootopia 2 across X, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube before opening was 518m, above Kung Fu Panda 4‘s 353mn, but below Minions: Rise of Gru ‘s 668m.
Took $56.6m worldwide from IMAX; $10.9m US and $45.7m international, including $34m from China.
Took $67.9m from 51 territories $1,099bn total and $1.42bn worldwide; China $561.1m; France $55.9m; Japan $52.2m; S. Korea $49.1m; Germany $34m; Mexico $32.6m; UK $30m; Taiwan $20.1m; Italy $18.6m; Australia $17.3m; Brazil $16.2m; Spain $16m.
Last year, Moana 2 took $36.1m from 52 territories and $487.9m total and $883.2m worldwide; France $53.9m; UK $42.6m, Germany $34.8m; Mexico $28.2m; Brazil $25.7m.
- Marty Supreme – A24
Up 1,925% from last weekend, taking $17.77m and $28.49m
It was A24’s second biggest opening after Civil War ‘s $25.5m.
Took $2m from previews on Christmas Eve, more than last year’s A Complete Unknown, last year at $1.4m, but they are very different films. A Complete Unknown was a Bob Dylan biopic, while Marty Supreme is all about Timothée Chalamet’s screen charisma that connects with the audience, transcending gender lines.
Timothée Chalamet has been heavily promoting the film for months. Presales were the highest of any A24 film, with 65 sellouts over the 6 screens. The film has received widespread critical acclaim 96% Rotten Tomatoes) and a B CinemaScore.
Social media for Marty Supreme was 197m across TikTok, X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube; with Timothée Chalamet everywhere promoting the film from standing atop The Sphere in Las Vegas to Marty Supreme blimp flying over Beverly Hills
A24 showed Marty Supreme in a few cinemas in 70mm and also had a few PLF screens.
Audience breakdown was Men 25+ 36% and women 25+ 27%; men under 25 21% and women under 25 16%. 18-34 66%. Would expect the female audience to increase over the weeks ahead.
- The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants – Paramount Pictures
Opened $15.61m; received positive reviews (86% Rotten Tomatoes) and A- CinemaScore
2004’s The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie opened $32.01m/$57.5m, taking $85.41m and $141.06m worldwide
2015’s The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water opened $55.36m/$75.6m, taking $162.99m and $325.18m WW
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run was due to open Memorial weekend in 2020, but due to COVID, it was delayed several times, going straight to CBS All Access in early 20221 and international rights were acquired by Netflix.
After receiving its world premiere at AFI Festival in October, Search for SquarePants received positive reviews, and Paramount surely expected it to open far bigger; it opened less than $1m Zootopia 2 fourth weekend, that said, it should hold strongly over the next two weekends.
Audience was 53% male to 47% female; 7-17 28%; 53% 18-34 at 53% (25-34 30%); it had a few PLFs. Animated David also opened, but the religious animated film is unlikely to attract the same audience as either Search for SquarePants or Zootopia 2. So why does SpongeBob open so much less than previous films despite the popularity of SpongeBob?
Took $22.1m internationally, including UK $3.9m; Mexico $2.7m; Germany $2.6m.
- The Housemaid – Lionsgate
Dropped 19.5%, taking $15.3m and $46.32m
Paul Feig directed 2018’s A Simple Favor opened $16.01m, taking $53.64m and $97.64m world and directed a sequel this year that was released straight to Amazon.
The trailers generated a lot of buzz as they featured a spooky version of Sabrina Carpenter Please, Please, Please and the novel the film was based on has sold almost 4m copies in the US. Since starring in 2023’s Anyone But You, Sidney Sweeney has generated a lot of media coverage; that said, a lot of it this year was negative due to the controversy generated after her American Eagle “great jeans” campaign.
2023’s Anyone, But You opened $6m, taking $88.31m (14.7x opening) and $220.33m worldwide
Similar films include.
2016’s The Girl on the Train taking $75.39m and $173.18m worldwide
2014’s Gone Girl taking $167.76m and $370.89m worldwide
2022’s Don’t Worry Darling, taking $45.3m and $87.6m worldwide
2000’s What Lies Beneath taking $155.5m/$332m and $291.4m/$622.3m WW
1992’s The Hand That Rocks the Cradle , taking $88.1m/$244.2m
1992’s Single White Female taking $48.1m/$133.2m worldwide
Took $18.5m internationally and $64.9m worldwide.
- Anaconda – Sony Pictures
Opened $14.5m; received mixed reviews (51% Rotten Tomatoes) and B CinemaScore
Anaconda social media, Jack Black’s 48.7m; Selton Melo’s 9.9m, but Paul Rudd doesn’t do social media. Jack Black and Paul Rudd heavily promoted the film over the weeks ahead of opening.
It’s tonally similar to Jack Black films.
2008’s Tropic Thunder opened $25.81m, taking $110.51m and $195.7m worldwide
2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle opened with $36.16 m, taking $404.54m and $962.54m WW; sequel in 2019 and third film due for release next Christmas.
2008’s Be Kind Rewind opened $4.1m, taking $11.17m and $30.57m worldwide
While the original Anaconda film opened In 1997 $16.62m/$41.7m taking $65.9m/$165.2m and $136.88m/$345m worldwide
2004’s Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid opened $12.81m, taking $32.23m and $70.99m WW
Opened $20m internationally; Australia $2.4m; Mexico $2.1m; UK $1.7m.
- Song Sung Blue – Focus Features
Opened $7.7m; received mixed reviews (75% Rotten Tomatoes) but very positive audience scores A CinemaScore
8 years ago, The Greatest Showman opened $8.8m, also receiving mixed reviews, but became the peoples champion taking $174.34m and $471.87m, While its unlikely Song Sung Blue will repeat its success, it’s a film audiences need a chance to discover through strong word of mouth, and cinemagoers’ reactions have been far more positive than critics.
The industry always talks about sleepers opening at Christmas, including Anyone But You (opening $6m, taking 14.7x and $88.3m) and The Greatest Showman (opening $8.8m, taking 19.8x and $174.3m), but these are a rarity.
- Wicked: For Good – Universal Pictures
Up 9.5% $5.32m in its sixth weekend and $331.68m
298th biggest sixth weekend between The Santa Clause 2 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) (close to Despicable Me 3, The Little Mermaid (2023), Alice in Wonderland and Dead Poets Society).
EntTelligence said the average ticket price was $14.42; the average PLF ticket was $18 last year. EntTelligence said the average price of Wicked is $14.36, and PLF screens $17.72.
2024’s Wicked up 39.6% $19.74m #4 and $424.53m of $474.56m (41.23m admissions); $284.29m (24.7m admissions) internationally and $758.85m (65.9m admissions) worldwide.
89th biggest between Guardians of the Galaxy and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice; 307th biggest inflated between A Beautiful Mind and The Bodyguard; 5th biggest 2025 between Jurassic World Rebirth and Sinners; 6th biggest musical between Frozen and The Little Mermaid; 15th biggest Universal Pictures between Minions and Oppenheimer.
Sixth weekends
2013’s Oz the Great and Powerful dropped 39.3% $4.85m and $219.38m of $234.91m/$311.48m and $493.31m/$654.1m WW
2017’s Beauty and the Beast dropped 29.5% $9.6m and $470.87m of $504.01m and $1.263bn worldwide
2014’s Maleficent dropped 26.5% $6.15m and $213.91m of $241.41m/$318.53m and $758.41m/$1bn
2023’s Barbie dropped 28.2% $15.1m and $592.8m of $636.23m and $1.446bn worldwide
Took $4.3m from 78 territories, total $172.3m and $503.9m worldwide; UK $53.6m; Australia $17.9m; Germany $9m; S. Korea $6.4m; Mexico $6.3m; Holland $5.1m; Philippines $5.1m; Spain $4.6m; France $4.3m.
Wicked internationally in its 6th weekend took $13.76m from 81 territories, $210.89m total and $635.42m worldwide; UK $60.8m; Australia $22.5m; Korea $13.1m; Mexico $9.6m; Germany $8m.
259th biggest worldwide between Toy Story 2 and La La Land; 13th biggest 2025 between The Conjuring: Last Rites and Captain America: Brave New World; 13th biggest musical between The Little Mermaid and
La La Land; 35th biggest Universal Pictures between Dr Seuss’ The Grinch and Jaws
On Platform
- Is This Thing On – Searchlight Pictures
Opened up 50.7% in its second weekend $204,686 adding 27 screens, taking $535,486.
Comedy drama directed by Bradley Cooper, loosely based on British comedian John Bishop, had its world premiere at the New York Film Festival in October, receiving positive reviews (89% Rotten Tomatoes), but didn’t receive any Golden Globe nominations. For the film to have a chance to find an audience, it needs award recognition, which is unlikely in the US.
Searchlight Pictures has only three award contenders this year: Rental Family struggled to find an audience opening over Thanksgiving, Is This Thing On and The Testament of Ann Lee (opened on platform last weekend, $74,796 from 4 screens.
Is This Thing On makes me think of comedian films like 1988’s Punchline, 1992’s Mr Saturday Night, 2019’a Late Night, 2009’s Funny People and 1999’s Man on the Moon.
While the film might be loosely based on British comedian John Bishop, most Americans have never heard of him, but it’s about the story, and that plays across audiences as it’s about mending a relationship, proving one’s self-worth, or finding inner peace.
UK Box Office Top 10
Box Office Preview
Avatar: Fire And Ash will hold #1 in its third weekend and will drop 30% as last weekend, taking £4m-£5m; impossible to compare with Avatar: The Way of Water third weekend, increasing 53.7% £7,643,764 and £44,971,330 in its third weekend, as it was a 2-day weekend in its second weekend.
The Housemaid will drop about 60% in its second weekend (20% without previews), taking £1.7m-£2m, and The SpongeBob Movie: Search For Squarepants will drop about 70% (30% without previews), taking £1.2m-£1.5m, similar to Zootropolis 2’s sixth weekend (down 15%-20%).
With Marty Supreme expanding in its second weekend, holding strongly, taking about £400k a day due to strong word of mouth, could see a three-way battle for third about £1.2m in its second weekend.
The big unknown is will Song Sung Blue find an audience, as 8 years ago, critics dismissed The Greatest Showman and Song Sung Blue, with the combination of Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson and Neil Diamond in a feel-good musical, feels like the perfect film to see at the start of the year, a film audiences can get behind, being a people’s champion, something Wicked: For God was meant to be but ran out of steam very quickly.
Neil Diamond’s catalogue is full of anthemic, sing-along classics (including Sweet Caroline and America), which is a communal experience, meant for audience toes to tap and hearts to swell, exactly the Showman formula.
Star Power with Charisma: Hugh Jackman is the modern P.T. Barnum of musical cinema. His innate likability and proven song-and-dance chops (Les Mis, The Greatest Showman) provide instant trust and spectacle. Kate Hudson brings warmth and relatable charm.
Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline is the definitive song of collective celebration. It’s played in football, rugby, cricket, and the Olympics. The moment the “Bah, bah, bah!” chorus hits, everyone, regardless of age or team, sings along, arms around each other. It’s a pure, unfiltered moment of national joy. Also played at weddings, pubs at closing time, and parties. It has completely shed its American origins and been adopted as a UK communal property.
Song Sung Blue struggled to find an audience in the US last weekend, but with a fourth day weekend could open between £1.5m-£2m.
With Anaconda dropping about 25%+, there could be another 7 films taking £1m+ over the first weekend of the year and with 6 of them taking a healthy, similar BO as they again play across all demographics, and they are films that could cross over audiences.
With Hamnet opening the weekend after and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple a week later, Avatar: Fire and Ash will last only one more week at #1, unlike 7 weeks for Avatar: The Way of Water in 2022, which is a sign of a far healthier market.
Coming Soon
- Rental Family – Disney
Comedy-drama starring Brendan Fraser, Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Shannon Mahina Gorman, and Akira Emoto and directed by Hikari.
Received positive reviews (87% Rotten Tomatoes) and generated strong buzz since premiering at the Toronto Film Festival.
Deadline said, “Brendan Fraser delivers a truly Oscar-worthy performance in a heartwarming crowd-pleaser with depth.” Brendan Fraser won the Best Actor Oscar for 2022’s The Whale.
It’s likely to be the latest adult drama that has struggled to find an audience despite positive reviews.
2004’s Lost in Translation opened £797,071/£1,405,969 taking £9,865,162/£17,401,355
2001’s Amelie opened £559,747/£1,070,820 taking £4,320,466/£8,265,239
- 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple – Sony Pictures
Post-apocalyptic horror sequel to last year’s 28 Years Later and the fourth film in the 28 Days Later film series starring Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman, and Chi Lewis-Parry and directed by Nia DaCosta and written by Alex Garland.
It was made back-to-back with 28 Years Later, but is directed by Nia DaCosta instead of Danny Boyle. Danny Boyle saw these two films as part of a trilogy, but Sony Pictures officially announced in December that they would make a third film. Danny Boyle has previously said he would direct the third film if it made.
The first trailer was released in September, and the second trailer was released in December.
Early social media reactions have been very positive, which is no surprise, as early social media reactions are always very positive, as the critics give their immediately hyped-up reactions, but test screening reactions to the film in August were equally very positive.
Nia DaCosta previously directed the Candyman remake and also The Marvels, but her roots are in indie film.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple will open similar to last year’s 28 Years Later, £4,780,374 (including £902,825 Thursday previews); £1.23m Friday; £1.38m Saturday; £1.27m Sunday. taking £15,567,482.
Would expect The Bone Temple to open with at least £4m which will surely be enough to top Avatar: Fire and Ash from #1 after 5 weeks instead of Avatar: The Way of Water 7 weeks and Avatar’s 10 weeks, that said Hamnet could top Avatar: Fire and Ash the week earlier if it has a similar sized opening being the must-see “British” award contender.
It will be interesting to see how The Bone Temple plays in the US, as the ending of 28 Years Later didn’t have the same shock responses as it did in the UK, with Spike saved from the infected by a group of men wearing different coloured track suits, their leader is Sir Jimmy Crystal, looking like Jimmy Savile. Having A Clockwork Orange feel to it. Sir Jimmy says to Spike, “Let’s be friends. In the end credits the Jimmy’s all have surnames. As with the original film, the introduction of the Jimmy’s show, there are worse things than being infected.
As the Rage Virus happened in 2002, the world never found out about Savile’s crimes (they were first made public in 2011), so in 28 Years Later, he is still the national treasure the UK thought he was.
Alex Garland talked about the deceptive power of nostalgia: “The thing about looking back is how selective memory is” .. “It cherry picks, and it has amnesia, and crucially, it also misremembers. We are living in a time right now which is absolutely dominated by a misremembered past.”
28 Years Later performed similarly to T2 Trainspotting, also made over 20 years after the original film.
1996’s Trainspotting opened £1,422,906/£2,786,379 taking £12,431,663/£24,344,067
2017’s T2 Trainspotting opened £5,146,791/£5,476,625 (no previews) taking £16,956,434/£18,043,095
2002’s 28 Days Later opened £1,500,079/£2,786,860, taking £6,238,016/£11,589,041
2007’s 28 Weeks Later opened £1,575,620/£2,486,672, taking £5,309,160/£8,379,011
Choose Rage: A Modern Monologue for a Dying Empire (Inspired by “Choose Life” from Trainspotting)
Choose Rage. Choose lockdowns that lasted too long and leaders that didn’t.
Choose clapping on your doorstep while the government sold off the NHS.
Choose empty supermarket shelves and a blue passport that gets you nowhere.
Choose a country that left Europe and found isolation instead of independence.
Choose ministers who party while you bury loved ones on Zoom.
Choose Rage. Choose your bills tripling while CEOs cash out.
Choose a childhood interrupted and a future on hold.
Choose another reboot, another scandal, another “We’re learning lessons.”
Choose nostalgia as sedation — 28 years later, and we’re still infected.
Not with a virus. With apathy. With corruption. With despair dressed up as tradition.
Choose Rage. Because hope was privatised. Because the system’s a virus.
Because Danny Boyle was right, the apocalypse isn’t coming.
It’s already here. And we’re paying £13.99 to watch it unfold in Dolby surround.
