Avatar: Fire and Ash passes $1 billion, overtakes Attack of the Clones domestically

According to Collider, James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash reached $1 billion worldwide in less than 20 days and has earned more than $300 million domestically; its $311 million running U.S. total has now overtaken Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones. Avatar 3 is still trailing its two predecessors and is likely to finish with lower hauls, but it has exceeded expectations and is on track to generate at least $1.5 billion globally, which would place it among the 20 highest-grossing films of all time.

Domestically, the $311 million running haul puts the film on the cusp of entering the all-time top 100 list. The movie opened to lukewarm reviews and currently holds the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score of Cameron’s trilogy, yet it has struck a chord with audiences and is playing in theaters worldwide.

Attack of the Clones was released in 2002 as the sequel to Episode I and was the first Star Wars film to feature an adult Anakin Skywalker, played by Hayden Christensen; it follows his relationship with Padmé Amidala amid a brewing civil war. The film remains one of the lowest-rated in the franchise, ranking ahead of only The Rise of Skywalker and The Phantom Menace on Rotten Tomatoes, and was criticized for poor dialogue and performances.

Key Topics

Culture, James Cameron, Box Office, Star Wars, Hayden Christensen, Rotten Tomatoes