Chalamet Ignites “Marty Supreme” as Cameron’s Avatar Dominates Year-End Box Office Drama

Olivia Bennett, 12/29/2025In the thrilling 2025 year-end box office, James Cameron's "Avatar: Fire and Ash" leads the charge, while A24's "Marty Supreme" surprises with strong performance. The family-friendly film trend persists, with animated hits like "Zootopia 2" proving popular. Amidst challenges, anticipation for 2026's lineup is palpable.

First, let’s address the largest blue elephant in the multiplex—James Cameron’s sprawling world of Pandora. If dollar signs could glow in 4K neon, they’d look a lot like “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” The third outing of Cameron’s eco-epic (are we still calling it an epic, or has it crossed into cinematic myth?) drew in $88 million over the marathon Christmas stretch, dropping a remarkably gentle 28% from its launch. Forget the 53% plunge that had “Way of Water” enthusiasts clutching their 3D glasses in 2022—the resilience here is pure Cameron, the sort of box office athleticism that owes as much to showmanship as it does to a relentless pursuit of the impossible.

Numbers, of course, rarely tell the whole story. Domestically, “Fire and Ash” is now standing at $217.7 million; globally, the film is closing in on $760 million. Hushed boardrooms are already whispering: if attendance holds, this franchise could notch its third consecutive $2 billion box office. It’s almost preposterous, in a way—an Olympian struggle not just against rivals, but against the gravitational pull of audience fatigue. And yet, for now, Cameron and Disney appear to be hoisting the trophy, at least until January has its say.

Elsewhere, the underdog tale played out in such a way that even the dullest industry spreadsheet suddenly felt lively. A24, indie darlings with their own cult of cool, watched “Marty Supreme” outperform all expectations. Josh Safdie, who last cranked up pulses with “Uncut Gems,” turns the tables—quite literally—serving up a 1950s table-tennis drama with an infectious energy not seen since, well, Chalamet last found his way into a camera’s adoration. $27.1 million in its opening? That’s fresh air in a landscape where originality’s obituary was drafted long ago. Chalamet’s presence clearly matters (one analyst quipped, with numbers to prove it), drawing in a much younger crowd—most under 35, a rarity for a sports biopic with this sort of pedigree. A “B+” CinemaScore? Beats the heartbreak of Safdie’s last tumultuous outing, and suggests audiences aren’t simply showing up for nostalgia—they’re buying what this film is serving.

Speaking of surprise longevity, “Zootopia 2” continues its impish rule, nabbing another $20 million in its fifth circuit around the weekend sun, easily outpacing some of the buzziest newcomers and steady-stepping all the way past the $1.4 billion milestone worldwide. Who would’ve wagered on an animated bunny becoming Hollywood’s most dependable box office anchor in 2025? Maybe it’s time to accept it—anthropomorphic animals might understand crowd-pleasing formulas better than the humans penning them.

Comedy, a genre so frequently left for dead in the shadow of superhero tie-ins and streaming churn, got a glimmer of its old swagger back this holiday with Sony’s “Anaconda.” Jack Black teaming up with Paul Rudd—it shouldn’t always compute, but somehow sells just fine—managed $23.7 million, critics’ winces notwithstanding. Sure, some called the jokes tired, others saw flickers of meta-brilliance. Either way, nostalgia and a good jungle gag seem to go a long way, especially when little else on the slate promises a genuine laugh.

It should be said—things aren’t all roses behind the red curtains. Domestic grosses for 2025? $8.76 billion. An incremental uptick over 2024, perhaps, but the industry hasn’t come close to reclaiming those pre-pandemic highs (remember $11.4 billion in 2019?). Meanwhile, international audiences—China especially—remind Hollywood who’s boss. “Ne Zha 2” has already torn past $2 billion, outpacing anything the West has produced. All the while, Netflix courts the big studios, YouTube teases Oscar streaming, and studio heads stay awake at night pondering just how loud a movie must shout these days to break into the cultural conversation.

Looking back, a clear trend emerges—the family-friendly crowd, once again, keeps theaters afloat. The three top blockbusters this year: “Zootopia 2,” “Lilo & Stitch,” and, in a boardroom-gone-mad twist, “A Minecraft Movie”—all PG-rated, all minted as box office gold. Seems parents (and their popcorn-wielding offspring) are still the ones keeping seats filled. Even as the year wound down, “Zootopia 2” was still hoarding $20 million weekends, edging past newcomers vying for holiday glory.

Then, out of left field, a quirky gem: “Song Sung Blue,” where Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson channel the hard luck and high hopes of a Neil Diamond tribute band. $12 million to start isn’t a headline figure, yet the CinemaScore “A” and a crowd mostly aged 55 and up (over half, by some counts) hint at a different kind of win—slow-burning, word-of-mouth, the sort that lingers far longer than the latest franchise juggernaut. Not every film has to sprint.

Other contenders dotted the charts—“The Housemaid” (all twists and chills), “David” (uplift in spades), plus “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants” keeping the younger set entertained. Multiplexes, while still not roaring, at least hummed with a certain kind of optimism: families, nostalgia-seekers, the generation that discovered Chalamet on TikTok. Take your pick.

Looking ahead, it’s easy to feel the mounting anticipation—and a touch of déjà vu. The 2026 calendar is already suspiciously packed, with “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” a fresh Spider-Man, and that ever-rolling Disney remake machine (a live-action “Moana,” “Toy Story 5,” a Mandalorian spin-off). Certainly, some say this every year, but flipping through next year’s slate, it’s evident Hollywood isn’t giving up the chase for that elusive thunderclap moment.

As 2025’s lights dim and credits roll, the essential truth remains unchanged: nothing—streaming, sequels, or even existential market panic—quite replaces the shiver of anticipation as theater lights flare, the crowd goes quiet, and a new story unspools in the darkness. Regardless of what comes next, the appetite for shared moments and silver screen spectacle isn’t fading any time soon. If anything, it feels like the town’s just waiting for its next history-making entrance.

There’s something unmistakably electric about the December box office—the air thick with the heavy scent of popcorn, cinema lights gleaming against winter’s gloom, and studio execs nursing both their champagne and anxieties. For Hollywood, closing out 2025 hasn’t been a quiet shuffle into the night, but more of a high-drama curtain call, gold sequins scattered across the floor. The year’s chaos, it seems, has only amplified the call: Come for spectacle, stay for a hint of surprise.First, let’s address the largest blue elephant in the multiplex—James Cameron’s sprawling world of Pandora. If dollar signs could glow in 4K neon, they’d look a lot like “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” The third outing of Cameron’s eco-epic (are we still calling it an epic, or has it crossed into cinematic myth?) drew in $88 million over the marathon Christmas stretch, dropping a remarkably gentle 28% from its launch. Forget the 53% plunge that had “Way of Water” enthusiasts clutching their 3D glasses in 2022—the resilience here is pure Cameron, the sort of box office athleticism that owes as much to showmanship as it does to a relentless pursuit of the impossible.Numbers, of course, rarely tell the whole story. Domestically, “Fire and Ash” is now standing at $217.7 million; globally, the film is closing in on $760 million. Hushed boardrooms are already whispering: if attendance holds, this franchise could notch its third consecutive $2 billion box office. It’s almost preposterous, in a way—an Olympian struggle not just against rivals, but against the gravitational pull of audience fatigue. And yet, for now, Cameron and Disney appear to be hoisting the trophy, at least until January has its say.Elsewhere, the underdog tale played out in such a way that even the dullest industry spreadsheet suddenly felt lively. A24, indie darlings with their own cult of cool, watched “Marty Supreme” outperform all expectations. Josh Safdie, who last cranked up pulses with “Uncut Gems,” turns the tables—quite literally—serving up a 1950s table-tennis drama with an infectious energy not seen since, well, Chalamet last found his way into a camera’s adoration. $27.1 million in its opening? That’s fresh air in a landscape where originality’s obituary was drafted long ago. Chalamet’s presence clearly matters (one analyst quipped, with numbers to prove it), drawing in a much younger crowd—most under 35, a rarity for a sports biopic with this sort of pedigree. A “B+” CinemaScore? Beats the heartbreak of Safdie’s last tumultuous outing, and suggests audiences aren’t simply showing up for nostalgia—they’re buying what this film is serving.Speaking of surprise longevity, “Zootopia 2” continues its impish rule, nabbing another $20 million in its fifth circuit around the weekend sun, easily outpacing some of the buzziest newcomers and steady-stepping all the way past the $1.4 billion milestone worldwide. Who would’ve wagered on an animated bunny becoming Hollywood’s most dependable box office anchor in 2025? Maybe it’s time to accept it—anthropomorphic animals might understand crowd-pleasing formulas better than the humans penning them.Comedy, a genre so frequently left for dead in the shadow of superhero tie-ins and streaming churn, got a glimmer of its old swagger back this holiday with Sony’s “Anaconda.” Jack Black teaming up with Paul Rudd—it shouldn’t always compute, but somehow sells just fine—managed $23.7 million, critics’ winces notwithstanding. Sure, some called the jokes tired, others saw flickers of meta-brilliance. Either way, nostalgia and a good jungle gag seem to go a long way, especially when little else on the slate promises a genuine laugh.It should be said—things aren’t all roses behind the red curtains. Domestic grosses for 2025? $8.76 billion. An incremental uptick over 2024, perhaps, but the industry hasn’t come close to reclaiming those pre-pandemic highs (remember $11.4 billion in 2019?). Meanwhile, international audiences—China especially—remind Hollywood who’s boss. “Ne Zha 2” has already torn past $2 billion, outpacing anything the West has produced. All the while, Netflix courts the big studios, YouTube teases Oscar streaming, and studio heads stay awake at night pondering just how loud a movie must shout these days to break into the cultural conversation.Looking back, a clear trend emerges—the family-friendly crowd, once again, keeps theaters afloat. The three top blockbusters this year: “Zootopia 2,” “Lilo & Stitch,” and, in a boardroom-gone-mad twist, “A Minecraft Movie”—all PG-rated, all minted as box office gold. Seems parents (and their popcorn-wielding offspring) are still the ones keeping seats filled. Even as the year wound down, “Zootopia 2” was still hoarding $20 million weekends, edging past newcomers vying for holiday glory.Then, out of left field, a quirky gem: “Song Sung Blue,” where Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson channel the hard luck and high hopes of a Neil Diamond tribute band. $12 million to start isn’t a headline figure, yet the CinemaScore “A” and a crowd mostly aged 55 and up (over half, by some counts) hint at a different kind of win—slow-burning, word-of-mouth, the sort that lingers far longer than the latest franchise juggernaut. Not every film has to sprint.Other contenders dotted the charts—“The Housemaid” (all twists and chills), “David” (uplift in spades), plus “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants” keeping the younger set entertained. Multiplexes, while still not roaring, at least hummed with a certain kind of optimism: families, nostalgia-seekers, the generation that discovered Chalamet on TikTok. Take your pick.Looking ahead, it’s easy to feel the mounting anticipation—and a touch of déjà vu. The 2026 calendar is already suspiciously packed, with “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” a fresh Spider-Man, and that ever-rolling Disney remake machine (a live-action “Moana,” “Toy Story 5,” a Mandalorian spin-off). Certainly, some say this every year, but flipping through next year’s slate, it’s evident Hollywood isn’t giving up the chase for that elusive thunderclap moment.As 2025’s lights dim and credits roll, the essential truth remains unchanged: nothing—streaming, sequels, or even existential market panic—quite replaces the shiver of anticipation as theater lights flare, the crowd goes quiet, and a new story unspools in the darkness. Regardless of what comes next, the appetite for shared moments and silver screen spectacle isn’t fading any time soon. If anything, it feels like the town’s just waiting for its next history-making entrance.