Avatar: Fire and Ash: Third film in James Cameron’s series passes US$1 billion mark worldwide

Avatar: Fire and Ash has surpassed US$1 billion globally, earning US$40 million in North America. Photo / Getty Images

Avatar: Fire and Ash has surpassed the US$1 billion ($1.7b) mark at the global box office, as it kept the top spot in North American theatres with another US$40m in ticket sales, industry estimates showed.

The third instalment in director James Cameron’s blockbuster series has now earned US$306m million in the United States and Canada, and another US$777m abroad, putting the total at $1.08 billion, Exhibitor Relations reported.

Fire and Ash stars Zoe Saldana as Na’vi warrior Neytiri and Sam Worthington as ex-Marine Jake Sully, who must battle a new foe threatening their family’s life on the planet Pandora.

It is the fourth Cameron film to pass the US$1b mark, with the first two Avatar films and Titanic.

In second place in North America was Zootopia 2, Disney’s feel-good animated film and an Oscar contender, at US$19m. Its global total now stands at nearly US$1.6b.

Coming in third at US$14.9m was Lionsgate’s The Housemaid, a film version of Freida McFadden’s best-selling novel about a young woman (Sydney Sweeney) who is hired by a wealthy couple (Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar) with dark secrets.

Marty Supreme, A24’s period sports drama starring Timothee Chalamet, finished in fourth place with US$12.6m.

Anaconda, the new meta comedy action flick starring Paul Rudd and Jack Black as friends trying to reboot the original 1997 horror film, finished in fifth place with US$10m.

Rounding out the top 10 are:

The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants (US$8.2m)

David (US$8m)

Song Sung Blue (US$5.8m)

Wicked: For Good (US$3.3m)

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (US$2.7)

-Agence France-Presse