Avatar 3 Opening Day Collection: Sets the Global Box Office on Fire; Faces Stiff Competition in India

James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash has made a spectacular global entry, raking in an eye-popping collection on its opening day. While the film has faced stiff competition in India from Ranbir Singh’s Dhurandhar, it has already made a mark worldwide.

India Box Office:
On its opening day in India, Avatar 3 collected ₹20.00 crore net across English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada versions. Despite strong advance bookings, the film earned roughly half of what its predecessor, Avatar: The Way of Water, collected on its first day in 2022 (₹40.30 crore). The competition from the 15-day-old blockbuster Dhurandhar, which earned ₹22.50 crore net on Friday, limited its initial growth. Nevertheless, the film promises to attract family audiences and cinephiles over the weekend, especially with its IMAX and 4DX screenings.

Worldwide Performance:
Globally, the sci-fi adventure, produced by 20th Century Studios and Disney, earned a total of $43.1 million on its opening day and early previews. Including limited releases in China, where it made an estimated $17.1 million, the worldwide first-day gross totals $60.2 million, approximately ₹539.25 crore.

Budget and Global Impact:
With a production budget exceeding $400 million (roughly ₹3600 crore), Avatar: Fire and Ash is among the most expensive films ever made. Despite a slightly muted start in India due to Dhurandhar, the movie has set record openings in multiple countries, including the USA, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Iceland, New Zealand, Indonesia, and Thailand, marking 2025’s biggest opening day in these territories.

Looking Ahead:
While the initial clash with Dhurandhar impacted its domestic performance, industry experts predict that Avatar 3 will see significant growth over the weekend. With the global fanbase and premium-format screenings, the film is poised to achieve a massive lifetime collection, reinforcing the enduring appeal of the Avatar franchise.