Disneyhas already kicked off the marketing campaign for an upcoming movie that will almost certainly make $1 billion. The entertainment conglomerate is no stranger to billion-dollar movies, as their Walt Disney Animation Studios animated output has includedFrozen($1.27 billion),Zootopia($1.02 billion), andFrozen II($1.45 billion) while billion-dollar Walt Disney Studios movies include 2019’sThe Lion King($1.661 billion), 2017’sBeauty and the Beast($1.27 billion), 2019’sAladdin($1.05 billion), andPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest($1.07 billion). However, the company has put out even more billion-dollar titles thanks to its acquisitions of various studios.
In fact, the only 2024 releases that have so far earned $1 billion belong to two of these studios, namelyPixar’sInside Out 2, which grossed $1.69 billion, becomingthe highest-grossing animated movie of all time, and Marvel Studios’Deadpool & Wolverine, which is the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever, with $1.34 billion. Other acquisitions that have since turned out billion-dollar titles include Lucasfilm (Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens,Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, more) and 20th Century Studios (Avatar: The Way of Water), which is the studio behind what is likely to be Disney’s next smash hit.
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Disney Is Kicking Off Avatar 3’s Marketing Campaign (& It Will Be Big)
Fire And Ash Will Be Promoted All Year Long
Disney has now begun the marketing campaign for theupcomingAvatar: Fire and Ash. The 20th Century Studios movie, which is set to premiere in theaters on December 19,is writer-director James Cameron’s sequel to 2022’sThe Way of Water, which in turn was a sequel to his original 2009 hit. Both previous movies are in the Top 3 highest-grossing movies of all time, withAvatarat No. 1 with $2.92 billion worldwide andThe Way of Waterat No. 3 with $2.32 billion. The No. 2 title is also a Disney property, namely Marvel’sAvengers: Endgame, with $2.79 billion.
Avatar: Fire and Ashis set to feature the return of many previous cast members including Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, and Jack Champion.
The marketing campaign for the newest installment is starting off relatively small, witha pair of concept art pieces forAvatar: Fire and Ashbeing shared viaEmpireon January 15. However, it will quickly balloon, even at that single publication.Empireis set to release new promotional material for the movie in every subsequent 2025 issue, as part of their Path To Pandora series. This will run alongside the movie’s other marketing partnerships and releases, which will include teasers, trailers, first-look images, a press tour, and much more.
How Much Avatar 3 Is Expected To Make At The Box Office After The Way Of Water
It Should Earn Much More Than $1 Billion
While it is still much too early to use typical factors like social media engagement, trailer views, and ticket pre-sales to estimate the movie’s opening weekend and overall run, it seemshighly likely thatAvatar: Fire and Ashwill earn more than $2 billion worldwide. Not only has this been the precedent set by the previous two movies, James Cameron has made a habit of directing some of the highest-grossing movies of all time. While the originalAvatarstill tops the chart, his 1997 historical romanceTitanicrounds out the Top 4 highest-grossing movies of all time with $2.26 billion.
Even if it comes in below expectations, it could easily become the eighth highest-grossing movie of all time…
Even if it falls belowThe Way of Waterat the same rate that the 2022 movie fell below the originalAvatar,Fire and Ashcould still earn a whopping $1.841 billion. Thus, even if it comes in below expectations, it could easily become the eighth highest-grossing movie of all time, supplantingInside Out 2from its current position on the all-time chart and falling below just the originalAvatarmovies,Avengers: Endgame,Titanic,The Force Awakens,Avengers: Infinity War, andSpider-Man: No Way Home.
Avatar: The Way Of Water Shut Down Any Concerns About The Avatar Franchise’s Future
The Movie Came After A Much Longer Hiatus
For some time, it seemed possible that the franchise could suffer as the years went by without a sequel and Cameron continued to promise more and more follow-ups to the 2009 movie without releasing a new installment for more than a decade. However, theAvatar: The Way of Waterbox office, its Certified Fresh 76% Rotten Tomatoes score, and itsfour Oscar nominations with one win, should assuage fears that the upcoming movies will underperform. However, it is still entirely possible thatFire and Ashwill falter somewhat.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Avatar 5
July 24, 2025
This was the case withThe Force Awakens'2017 sequelStar Wars: The Last Jedi, which earned $1.33 billion, far below its predecessor. The reason for this could be the fact thatit only followed the previous movie by two years, whereasThe Force Awakenswas the firstStar Warsmovie in a decade, harnessing a stronger sense of nostalgia. However, just likeThe Last Jedi,Fire and Ash- which follows that timeline more or less exactly - seems set to be a smash hit forDisneyeven if it is not nearly as successful asThe Way of Water.
Cast
Avatar: Fire and Ash is a 2025 science fiction film continuing the saga of Pandora. Jake Sully and Neytiri confront a formidable new enemy, the Ash People, led by Varang. Struggling with personal loss and external threats, they strive to protect their family and Pandora’s future.
