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It was a holdover hits weekend as three audience pleasers pumped $54M into the blah pre-holidays boxoffice.

Exhibitors are holding their breath until next week’s arrival of James Cameron & 20th Century Studios/Lightstorm Entertainment’s AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH. Hollywood handicappers are projecting a $100M or more domestic launch.

Disney’s PG animated action adventure ZOOTOPIA 2 moved back to first place in weekend three with $2.3M (-39.5%) at 3,835 theatres ($6,858), per Comscore. It’s done $259M domestically and $1.14BM worldwide.

Universal/Blumhouse-Atomic Monster’s PG-13 horror thriller 5 NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S slid to #2 in weekend two with $19.5M (-69.5%) at 3,579 theatres ($5,448). It’s done $95.5M domestic and $173.2M worldwide. BUDGET BUZZ: $36M to produce.

Universal/Marc Platt Productions’ PG fantasy musical WICKED: FOR GOOD was #3 in weekend four with $8.6M (-50.7%) at 3,480 theatres ($2,457). It’s done $312.1M domestic & $467.1M worldwide. BUDGET BUZZ: $300M production cost for both WICKED episodes.

Domestic ticket sales this weekend were $75.1M, according to Comscore Head of Marketplace Trends Paul Dergarabedian. That’s down 52.4% from the prior weekend and down 18% vs. this time last year. Comscore’s year to date tally has 2025 at $8.14B, up 0.48% from $8.10B in 2024. The prior weekend showed 2025 up 0.82% vs. last year. Comscore’s 2025 cume was up 26.08% on 6/8.

Meanwhile, back at the multiplexes: 20th Century Studios’ PG-13 dramedy ELLA MCCAY opened #7 to $2.1M at 2,500 theatres ($840), per Comscore. It’s tracking for first choice below norm with all demos. Rotten Tomatoes critics are thumbs down at 22% and audiences are unhappy at 52%. BUDGET BUZZ: $35M to produce.

Directed by James L. Brooks (BROADCAST NEWS), its ensemble cast is headed by Emma Mackey (as Ella McCay) and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Next weekend (12/19) 🐝🐝🐝🐝: 20th Century Studios’ PG-13 fantasy action adventure AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, from 20th Century Studios/Lightstorm Entertainment, is opening at about 3,800 theatres.

Directed, co-written & co-produced by James Cameron (TITANIC), it’s tracking best for first choice with men over 25 (14 points over norm). In the latest AVATAR episode, the conflict on Pandora escalates as a new moral focus arises.

The franchise’s previous episode, AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, opened 12/16/2022 and did $584M domestic & $2.3B worldwide on a production budget of $350M.

. Paramount/Nickelodeon’s PG animated comedy adventure THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS is opening at about 3,500 theatres.

Directed by Derek Drymon (SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS series), it’s tracking best for first choice with men under 25 (one point over norm).

The franchise’s last episode, THE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS MOVIE, opened 11/19/04 and did $141.1M worldwide on a production budget of $30M.