March 31 Is A Big Day For Avatar Fans

Avatar: Fire and Ash is getting its digital release today on March 31, setting up an important day for the franchise. 2009’s Avatar is still the highest-grossing film of all time, grossing over $2.92 billion worldwide. While it was a massive success, viewers wouldn’t return to the world of Pandora until the sequel, which released 13 years later.

However, 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water still continued the franchise’s status as a global phenomenon. The sequel, once again directed by James Cameron, grossed over $2.3 billion worldwide. Fire and Ash was another box office success, though it is the lowest-grossing film of the franchise, earning over $1.4 billion worldwide.

Though there are plans for Avatar 4 and Avatar 5, it’s unclear if those films have been offiicially confirmed. Given that Fire and Ash earned less than the first two films, its performance on digital could be a significant factor towards determining the franchise’s future.

Avatar: Fire & Ash’s Digital Release Could Have A Big Impact On The Franchise’s Future

The future of the Avatar franchise is a bit unclear. Avatar 4 is reportedly coming out on December 21, 2029, while Avatar 5 is set to release on December 19, 2031. However, Cameron made comments that seemed to suggest these sequels aren’t officially moving forward yet.

During an interview with the Taiwanese network, TVBS, Cameron spoke about Michelle Yeoh’s potential role in the Avatar films. He said Yeoh “is definitely going to be in 4, if we make 4,” and that if 4 and 5 do happen, they need to be made on smaller budgets.

“The movie industry is depressed right now. Avatar 3 costs a lot of money. We have to do well in order to continue. We have to do well, and we need to figure out how to make Avatar movies more inexpensively in order to continue.”

Fire and Ash reportedly had a budget of $400 million. Its worldwide gross of over $1.4 billion shows that these films are still profitable, but suggests the franchise’s popularity may be dwindling. If it performs well on digital, that could prove that audiences are still interested in the franchise, even if the films aren’t making as much in theaters.

Avatar’s Digital Release Track Record Bodes Well For The Third Film

Fire and Ash is set up for success on digital based on how the franchise has previously performed. According to Disney’s 2023 Q3 earnings presentation, The Way of Water was “on track to be the biggest ever electronic home video release for Disney domestically.”

Additionally, the Avatar films have also trended on Disney+’s streaming charts. The two films popped up on the charts around the release of Fire and Ash, demonstrating the Avatar franchise’s popularity as viewers check out the previous films from the comfort of their homes.

While the third film’s streaming date hasn’t been announced yet, its digital release gives audiences a chance to either rewatch the film at home or watch it for the first time. Still, based on how The Way of Water performed, Avatar: Fire and Ash should have a strong digital release, and possibly boost confidence in the upcoming sequels.