With more than a week to go before release, James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash has opened advance bookings in India to a robust response. IMAX advance tickets went on sale last week and general bookings followed yesterday; by this morning, over 50,000 tickets had been sold across the two national chains for the opening weekend, translating to more than Rs.3 crore in revenue. Overall weekend advance receipts have climbed past Rs.4 crore gross.
While these figures signal strong interest, they remain notably lower than the pre-sale frenzy that surrounded Avatar: The Way of Water. That sequel had pulled in over Rs.12 crore in pre-sales before release — a haul amplified by an extended pre-sale window and the long gap since the first Avatar. Industry
observers note the absence of similar pent-up demand this time around, given the shorter interval between sequels.
Market Context and Opening Day Forecasts
The trend mirrors global markets, where pre-sales for Fire and Ash are generally down on the equivalent window for Avatar 2. Analysts attribute this to the novelty factor that buoyed Avatar: The Way of Water, which arrived after a decade-long wait following the original. Nevertheless, James Cameron’s track record — and his oft-repeated advice not to judge his films until multiple weekends have passed — keeps expectations grounded yet optimistic.
According to Pinkvila, the forecast for India’s opening day sits between Rs.30–35 crore NETT (approximately Rs.36–42 crore GROSS), with the extended holiday period expected to help build box office momentum. For context, Avatar: The Way of Water opened to Rs.48.50 crore on day one in India and went on to collect Rs.465 crore in its full theatrical run, making it the highest-grossing Hollywood film ever in the market.
Exhibitors say IMAX and premium format demand is the early driver, while multiplexs will watch weekday sales and the all-important opening weekend for signs of staying power. If advance sales accelerate closer to release — as has happened with previous Cameron projects — Fire and Ash could narrow the early gap with its predecessor and post a very strong domestic tally over the holidays.
