The Avatar franchise, which began with the 2009 film, continues to captivate audiences with its latest instalment, Avatar: Fire and Ash. The second part, Avatar: The Way of Water, had opened to over ₹40 crore net in India and collected approximately ₹500 crore gross, despite not receiving reviews as strong as the original. However, the third instalment, Avatar: Fire and Ash, has seen a weaker opening, with collections around ₹20 crore net and ₹27-30 crore gross on its first day, roughly 50% of The Way of Water's opening day.
The film's weak buzz and underwhelming weekend bookings have raised concerns, with trade experts predicting it may struggle to reach ₹250 crore gross in India. Avatar: Fire and Ash faces stiff competition from Bollywood's Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh, now in its third week. Despite mostly negative reviews from critics, fans believe the film demands a big-screen experience.
Avatar: The Way of Water had set a high bar, collecting ₹48.75 crore on its opening day in India. In contrast, Avatar: Fire and Ash's first-day collection is significantly lower, indicating a possible impact from the previous instalment’s performance. The film's global debut is expected to be around $340-$380 million, with $100-$130 million projected in North America.
The Avatar franchise's staying power is notable, and it may still achieve success with the help of its brand. However, only time will tell how Avatar: Fire and Ash performs in the coming days. Worldwide Avatar Fire And Ash Opens with Rs 3000 crores.