‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ continues its strong performance at the box office in its second weekend, earning $64 million domestically and $181.2 million internationally, making it one of the top grossing films of 2025. The film's success, driven by its visual effects and premium formats, highlights the ongoing popularity of the ‘Avatar’ franchise. Other notable releases include ‘Zootopia 2’ and ‘Marty Supreme,’ contributing to a successful holiday box office season, with overall earnings reaching $8.76 billion in 2025.
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ opened with $88 million domestically and $257 million internationally, totaling $345 million globally, though it fell short of expectations. The film's success will influence the future of the franchise, amid a challenging theatrical landscape where audiences are gradually returning to cinemas, especially for big-budget event movies. The box office remains below pre-pandemic levels, but recent hits and increased theater investments suggest a positive outlook for 2026.
A four-minute trailer for James Cameron's 'Titanic' played a crucial role in countering negative buzz and turning the film into a massive success, despite initial studio disagreements and skepticism.
Dwayne Johnson discusses being typecast as a blockbuster actor and his desire to pursue more intense, raw roles, exemplified by his upcoming film The Smashing Machine, which may earn him his first Oscar nomination and marks a shift towards more diverse acting opportunities.
KPop Demon Hunters has become Netflix's most-watched original movie, exemplifying the unpredictability of hit films and the old Hollywood adage 'Nobody Knows Anything.' Its success highlights the shifting landscape of media deals, streaming competition, and the unpredictability of blockbuster hits, with implications for studios, streaming services, and the broader entertainment industry.
KPop Demon Hunters, an animated musical film by Sony Pictures Animation, became a massive hit on Netflix, potentially surpassing the platform's biggest movie of all time, due to a strategic deal that prioritized streaming success over theatrical release, highlighting the changing landscape of film distribution and success metrics.
The upcoming film 'F1', directed by Joseph Kosinski and starring Brad Pitt, has received generally positive reviews with an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, praised for its spectacular racing sequences and old-school blockbuster style, though some critics find it somewhat formulaic and emotionally sterile.
Mia Goth has been cast as the lead villain in Shawn Levy's upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter, set to be released in 2027, marking her first major blockbuster role and her transition into the sci-fi galaxy far, far away, opposite Ryan Gosling.
Allu Arjun's 'Pushpa 2: The Rule' achieved a remarkable $92.5 million worldwide gross over its opening weekend, making it the third-highest grossing film globally after 'Moana 2' and 'Wicked.' The sequel to the 2021 hit 'Pushpa: The Rise' broke the Indian opening day record with $34.6 million and is on track to become the highest-grossing Indian film of 2024. It also performed well in North America and set records in the Imax format in India.
Pushpa 2: The Rule (Hindi) has made history by entering the Rs. 200 Crore Club in just three days, setting a record as the fastest Hindi release to achieve this milestone. The film, starring Allu Arjun, has shown strong box office performance with Rs. 205 crores collected from the Hindi version alone, and is expected to continue its successful run with a projected four-day weekend total of at least Rs. 285 crores. This success highlights the film's popularity and potential for a long-lasting impact in the industry.
Pushpa 2's Hindi version is performing exceptionally well, with a strong hold on its second day, collecting around ₹50 crore net after a ₹65 crore net opening. The film's two-day total is projected at ₹115 crore net, and it could make history by crossing ₹70 crore net in a single day if Saturday sees significant growth. A potential ₹250 crore net total over the first four days is possible, placing it among a select group of films achieving such numbers in a week. Despite some declines in southern markets, national chains are showing robust performance.
Pushpa 2: The Rule is making waves at the box office, collecting Rs. 72 crores on its first day and an estimated Rs. 45 crore+ on the second day, quickly surpassing the Rs. 100 crore mark. The film's success is driven by strong advance bookings and Allu Arjun's return as Pushpa Raj, positioning it as one of the biggest openers in Indian cinema. With a massive weekend expected, Pushpa 2 could challenge lifetime box office records set by films like Baahubali 2 and RRR.
Netflix's new $100 million blockbuster "Atlas," starring Jennifer Lopez, is receiving poor reviews, currently holding an 11% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite Netflix's history of high viewership for big-budget films, "Atlas" is being criticized heavily, similar to the poorly received "Madame Web." The film's reception raises questions about its future and the effectiveness of Netflix's blockbuster strategy.
A24, known for championing indie auteurs and mid-budget films, is making a foray into blockbuster territory with the upcoming release of "Civil War," a $50 million action movie directed by Alex Garland. The studio's success and future direction have been the subject of much speculation, as it recently secured significant investment and expressed interest in pursuing action and big IP projects. With potential projects like an MMA biopic and a film adaptation of a popular video game, A24's expansion into more commercial territory could mark a turning point for the studio, potentially reviving the mid-budget movie genre in Hollywood.
The blockbuster biopic Oppenheimer has been released in Japan, prompting discussions among residents of Hiroshima, the city where the nuclear bomb was first dropped in 1945. The film, which has achieved significant success since its US release, has sparked mixed reactions in the city, known for its tragic history related to the atomic bomb.
