Disney Starts 2026 with Two Billion-Dollar Films in Theaters
Disney is sailing between 2025 and 2026 with two huge box office hits on its hands. Another film has crossed the $1 billion mark.
Billions
Right now, Disney has two different billion-dollar box office sensations in theaters. This is excellent news for the company, especially since two sequels are already in the works for at least one of the films.
Recently, Zootopia 2 joined the billion-dollar club. But that isn't all. It has become the highest-grossing animated feature from the Walt Disney Animation Studios label.
And, it is one of the top 2025 films in terms of earnings, slightly edging out Lilo and Stitch, another billion-dollar film. But another blockbuster is creeping up on it.
Avatar: Fire and Ash Earns $1 Billion
Avatar: Fire and Ash hit $1 billion this weekend. In its 3rd week in theatres, it raked in $40 million domestically and $169.6 million.
It is the fourth billion-dollar film for director James Cameron. Every Avatar movie has officially hit the billion-dollar mark.
It is Underperforming
A billion dollars is certainly nothing to sneeze at. Yet, there is buzz suggesting that Avatar: Fire and Ash is underperforming.
Avatar: Fire and Ash has been a slower burn than Avatar: Way of Water.
This is largely because Avatar: The Way of Water had a much bigger opening weekend than Avatar: Fire and Ash. Still, there is plenty of time for Fire and Ash to continue climbing the earnings scale. Perhaps it is a slow burn.
And has a long way to go if it is to overtake 2025's top-earning film so far: Ne Zha 2, the Chinese animated film that captured the globe's attention, has earned over 2 billion.
Have you seen Avatar: Fire and Ash? Did you think it lived up to the rest of the franchise? Let us know in the comments.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Katie's favorite park is Animal Kingdom. Her Disney loves include Disney mugs, Dole Whips, POG Juice, the Electrical Water Pageant, Chai Lattes from Joffrey's, and all the Disney Parks music!
