'Avatar 3' advance bookings kick off with a bang in India
James Cameron's Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third chapter in the blockbuster sci-fi franchise, is set to hit theaters on December 19 in English and major Indian languages.
The hype is real—over 55,000 tickets have already been snapped up for opening day at major chains, with early earnings already over ₹4 crore.
In numbers: How pre-sales stack up
Advance bookings are strong but still about 30-40% behind Avatar: The Way of Water's pace in 2022.
Seven days before release, Fire and Ash had sold 29K tickets (versus Way of Water's 102K), rising to 55K by four days out (compared to 139K).
Projections suggest around two lakh advance tickets will be sold—less than the previous film's three lakh-plus but still impressive.
In China, pre-sales hit $3.8 million in just two days.
Where's the buzz?
South India is leading ticket sales again, especially Tamil Nadu and Telugu states—just like with the last Avatar movie.
North India is a bit quieter this time, partly because local hit Dhurandhar is still dominating screens there.