'Avatar 3' makes grand debut in China, fueling box office boom

After director James Cameron graced the Hainan Island International Film Festival with his presence to hype up the super-awaited "Avatar 3," the Hollywood blockbuster that everyone's been talking about finally hit the big screen in China on December 19.

As of the evening of Dec.18, the pre-sale box office revenue of "Avatar 3" had surpassed 100 million yuan ($14 million) according to data from BEACON Pro, one of China's movie data platforms, with over 870 thousand people in the country expressing their interest in the movie on the popular ticketing app platform Taopiaopiao. Notably, female moviegoers make up more than half of this enthusiastic group.

However, the film received mixed reviews during pre-screening events in some Chinese cities, with some lavishing it with the highest praise while others have criticized it. Some fans were so in awe of Cameron that they jokingly said they would "kneel down" before him, praising "Avatar 3" for its "breathtaking" images when viewed on IMAX screens with the benefit of 3D and high frame rate.

On the other hand, some critics noted the plot and scenes bear striking similarities to the previous installment. The 198-minute runtime also poses a challenge for moviegoers' patience and theater scheduling.

A grand pre-screening event was held on December 18, 2025 at a cinema in Beijing. To mark the occasion and create a buzz ahead of the film's official launch one day later, an eye-catching poster was set up prominently at the venue. /CGTN

A grand pre-screening event was held on December 18, 2025 at a cinema in Beijing. To mark the occasion and create a buzz ahead of the film's official launch one day later, an eye-catching poster was set up prominently at the venue. /CGTN

On the 8th of this month, "Avatar 3" held its Chinese premiere at the Hainan Island International Film Festival. Director James Cameron, lead actress Zoe Saldana, as well as Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi, actor Deng Chao and Huang Xuan, who lent their voices to characters in the film, attended the event, demonstrating its high regard for the Chinese market. The first two "Avatar" films grossed over 1.3 billion yuan each at the Chinese box office.

According to data from online platforms, as of 10:45 p.m. on December 18, the cumulative box office revenue for the films released since November 28 — including those already screened and others set to premiere by December 31 — has exceeded four billion yuan, showing a robust market performance. This can at least be partly attributed to the diverse range of film genres available. Over 50 films have been scheduled for release to greet the arrival of 2026, covering genres such as suspense, action, and science fiction, thus meeting the diverse viewing demands of audiences.