Here Are the Weekend Box Office Hits for This Weekend, with ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Still Leading the Pack

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Early January at the movies offers a mix of big holiday hits and smaller, new releases all vying for viewers. While popular sequels still lead in ticket sales, independent and genre films are gaining traction with strategic releases. This weekend shows that well-known animated franchises are still strong, and critically acclaimed films are also doing well. Here’s a look at how the top movies are performing financially and what they’re about.

‘Is This Thing On?’ (2025)

The new film from Walt Disney Studios earned $242,702 over the weekend, playing in 33 theaters. This is an 18.6% increase from the previous week, bringing the movie’s total earnings in the US to $1,028,935. Directed by and starring Bradley Cooper, the film is a drama about the complicated relationships between people working in stand-up comedy. It’s currently playing in a limited number of theaters and gaining popularity through positive reviews and recommendations.

‘The Plague’ (2025)

The psychological thriller experienced a significant jump in ticket sales during its second weekend, bringing in $388,688 after being shown in 590 theaters. It marks the first feature film directed by Charlie Polinger and stars Everett Blunck and Joel Edgerton, who also produced the movie. The story centers on a shy 12-year-old boy dealing with a harsh rite of passage at a water polo camp. With this wider release, the film has now earned a total of $433,938 domestically.

‘Hamnet’ (2025)

The historical drama from Focus Features made $749,105 over the weekend, bringing its total earnings to $11,861,780. Directed by Chloé Zhao, the film is based on Maggie O’Farrell’s popular novel and tells the story of William Shakespeare’s son. Starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley, it’s a moving story about a family coping with a devastating loss. Even after being in theaters for over a month, the film is still attracting viewers in certain areas.

‘No Other Choice’ (2025)

The film Neon had a very strong second weekend, increasing its earnings by 201% and bringing in $1,001,122 from just 45 theaters. This resulted in an impressive average of $22,247 per theater, indicating a lot of audience interest as the film plans to expand to more locations. So far, Neon has earned a total of $1,990,093. The story focuses on a difficult ethical situation, forcing the main characters to make crucial choices while facing intense pressure.

‘We Bury the Dead’ (2025)

The new survival thriller opened this weekend, bringing in $2.5 million from 1,172 theaters with Vertical Entertainment handling distribution. The film stars Daisy Ridley as a woman venturing into a hazardous, restricted area to find her husband. Directed by Zak Hilditch, it’s a tense and atmospheric blend of horror and drama. With an average of $2,134 per theater, the independent film got off to a strong start.

‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ (2025)

The latest horror movie from Universal Pictures made $2,686,035 over the past weekend, bringing its total earnings in the US and Canada to $125,206,695. Starring Josh Hutcherson, the film is based on a well-known video game and features a security guard battling haunted robots. Even though ticket sales fell by 39% compared to last week, the movie is still a big financial win for the studios and is clearly resonating with fans who have followed the franchise for years.

‘Wicked: For Good’ (2025)

‘Wicked,’ the movie based on the popular musical, made $3.26 million during its seventh weekend in theaters. Starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the film finishes telling the story of the witches of Oz and has now earned over $339.8 million in the United States since its release during the holidays. The movie’s continued success shows just how much people still love the original Broadway show.

‘Song Sung Blue’ (2025)

The musical drama from Focus Features earned $5.87 million during its second weekend, bringing its total earnings in the U.S. to $25 million. The film, starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, is inspired by the real-life story of a couple who started a Neil Diamond tribute band to help them through difficult times. It added 118 theaters this week, which helped lessen a slight 17% drop in revenue from the previous week. The movie continues to connect with viewers thanks to its uplifting message about overcoming challenges and the impact of music.

‘David’ (2025)

I’ve been following the performance of this new animated movie based on a biblical story, and it’s really impressive! It just earned over $7.6 million in its third weekend, bringing its total to nearly $70 million. It tells the story of the young shepherd who becomes king, and it’s clearly resonating with families who enjoy faith-based films. Even though earnings dipped a bit this week – around 38.7% – it’s still doing incredibly well, which shows how strong its core audience is.

‘The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants’ (2025)

Okay, so I checked in on how The SpongeBob Movie is doing, and it’s still holding strong! This weekend it brought in over $8.3 million, bringing its total earnings in the US to nearly $58 million. It’s playing in over 3,200 theaters, which is a lot, and it’s consistently in the top five movies families are heading to see. If you’ve got little ones, this one’s still a safe bet – they clearly love SpongeBob and his underwater adventures. The story follows SpongeBob on a quest to find a missing piece of himself, and it’s clearly resonating with its target audience.

‘Anaconda’ (2025)

Sony’s new version of the monster movie made $10 million during its second weekend in cinemas. Starring Jack Black and Paul Rudd, the film puts a funny and exciting spin on classic giant snake horror movies. Since it came out, the movie has earned over $45 million from 3,509 theaters. This suggests people are enjoying updated versions of familiar genres that combine scares and laughs.

‘Marty Supreme’ (2025)

The Timothée Chalamet biopic from A24 continued to perform well, earning $12.55 million over the weekend – its third in release. The film, directed by Josh Safdie, tells a story inspired by the life of professional ping-pong player Marty Reisman, with a visually striking, retro style. So far, it’s made over $56 million domestically, boosted by its release in 219 more theaters. Its distinctive look and Chalamet’s performance are helping it stand out among other films currently in theaters.

‘The Housemaid’ (2025)

The thriller, starring Sydney Sweeney, earned $15.1 million over the weekend, continuing its successful run in theaters. The film follows a housekeeper who discovers hidden and dangerous secrets about the family she works for. With only a slight drop in ticket sales – less than 1.5% – the movie has now made a total of $75.9 million. It’s proving to be a hit with adult viewers who enjoy suspenseful stories focused on interesting characters.

‘Zootopia 2’ (2025)

Disney’s animated sequel continued its strong performance, earning $19.4 million during its sixth weekend in theaters. So far, the movie has made a total of $364 million domestically. The story centers on Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde as they solve a new mystery involving a strange snake. Even after being released for over a month, the film’s weekend earnings only dropped by 2.5%, proving it’s a huge success for Disney.

‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ (2025)

James Cameron’s latest film, set on Pandora, stayed at number one in movie theaters this weekend, earning $41.4 million. The movie introduces a new, more warlike group of Na’vi people, and the fight for the planet’s future becomes even more intense. So far, the film has made over $307.7 million in the United States. It’s still a big draw for audiences, especially in theaters with large screens and premium formats.

Share your favorite movie-going experiences from this weekend in the comments.

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2026-01-07 14:46