Legendary director James Cameron has a history of delivering back-to-back all-time blockbusters. After Titanic, he broke his own record with his next film, Avatar. To this day, the first Avatar remains the highest-grossing film of all time, which is why the hype for subsequent installments has been monumental.

The second film, Avatar: The Way of Water, successfully crossed the US$2 billion mark. Although it did not break the all-time record set by the original, it still became a massive US$2.3 billion blockbuster. However, the third installment, Avatar: Fire and Ash, has not shared a similar fate at the box office.

While it is on the verge of crossing US$1 billion from overseas markets, the film is heading toward a final finish of roughly US$1.5 billion. To date, it has collected US$1.32 billion, and even the long holiday season failed to help it showcase the historic "legs" normally associated with a James Cameron film.

Prior to its release, many would have laughed at the suggestion that the film would perform this way. The movie is currently tracking roughly 33% behind The Way of Water at the same stage. Domestically, the film has earned US$369 million, while international markets have contributed over US$960 million. Notably, its performance in China stands at US$138 million, comparitively low from the earlier Avatar films. 

Several factors have contributed to this slowdown. Analysts point to a decrease in the "novelty factor" that the previous Avatar films provided. Additionally, a series-like treatment failed to impress Gen-Z audiences, who did not connect strongly with the colonization themes Cameron explored once again.

Critics have noted that the franchise’s storytelling has become stagnant, with the stakes failing to escalate beyond the original film. While the third installment is still a hit, the director and his creative team may need to shift direction and bring true novelty to the table for any future movies.

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