The film industry saw a burst of energy during the holiday season, as ‘Fire and Ash’ topped the box office, while ‘Marty Supreme’, featuring Timothée Chalamet, emerged as a standout success for A24. Over the four-day Christmas weekend, ‘Fire and Ash’ grossed an impressive $88 million, contributing to a total of $217.7 million in North America since its release. Despite initial domestic sales falling short of its predecessor, the film’s international performance has been robust, amassing $542.7 million overseas.
Directed by Josh Safdie, ‘Marty Supreme’ is a table tennis drama that exceeded expectations with a remarkable $27.1 million over the holiday period. This achievement underscores Chalamet’s star power and the viability of original films in today’s market. The film, which had a production budget of approximately $70 million, beat out ‘Anaconda’, a comedic release by Sony Pictures, which earned $23.7 million during the same timeframe.
Holiday Box Office Surge
The Christmas weekend marked a significant moment for Hollywood, representing the best box office performance on Christmas Day since the COVID-19 pandemic began. As 2025 nears its end, the industry reflects on a tumultuous year, with expectations soaring for a more stable 2026. “It was a really solid end to a tumultuous year,” noted Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore.
Although total domestic ticket sales for the year reached approximately $8.76 billion, slightly above the $8.75 billion of 2024, this figure still pales in comparison to the $11.4 billion generated in 2019. The highest-grossing film of the year was a Chinese production that surpassed $2 billion.
Trends and Future Prospects
One notable trend in 2025 was the success of PG-rated films. For the second consecutive year, these family-friendly movies outperformed their PG-13 counterparts, generating $2.87 billion domestically versus $2.78 billion for PG-13 films. The top three blockbusters were all PG-rated, with titles such as ‘Zootopia 2’, ‘Lilo & Stitch’, and ‘A Minecraft Movie’ leading the pack.
Disney achieved significant milestones this year, becoming the first studio since 2019 to surpass $6 billion in global box office revenue, propelled by hits like ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’. Looking ahead, excitement builds for 2026, which promises a lineup of major releases including ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ and ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’.
As the holiday season progresses, theaters anticipate a busy week ahead, with numerous films vying for audience attention. Upcoming releases such as Paul Feig’s thriller starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, along with animated features and dramas, are expected to attract moviegoers in droves.
The box office performance during this festive period signals a potential turnaround for Hollywood as it seeks to recover from the challenges posed by the pandemic and industry strikes. With a promising slate ahead, the film industry may be poised for a robust future.
