“Avatar: Fire and Ash” earned $345 million worldwide during its opening weekend, according to studio estimates released Sunday. The film became the second-biggest global debut of the year and arrived during the busy holiday movie season, when many families visited theaters. The release continued the long-running science-fiction series created by director James Cameron.

The movie collected $88 million in North America and $257 million from international markets, with China providing the strongest overseas results. While the opening numbers were strong, experts described the response as moderate compared with earlier films in the series. Domestic ticket sales were lower than the previous installment, and reviews were more mixed. Still, the franchise remained reliable in attracting audiences over time. Analysts explained that “Avatar” films depended on long-term ticket sales rather than just opening weekends. This consistent pattern helped earlier releases remain in theaters for months. With a very high production cost, the studio closely watched performance during the following weeks. Continued interest during the holidays was essential for deciding whether future films moved forward.