Avatar Sequel Presales Top 10 Million Yuan in China Ahead of Release

Pre-sales for Avatar: Fire and Ash have surged in China, with early figures pointing to strong demand for premium formats and renewed momentum in the year-end box office.

As of 11am on December 13, presales for the film had exceeded 10.2 million yuan (US$1.45 million), according to box office tracker Beacon, with more than 800,000 users marking the title as “want to watch” on major ticketing platforms.

The film, with a runtime of 198 minutes, is scheduled for a simultaneous premiere in the Chinese mainland and North America on December 19.

In Shanghai, ticket prices range from approximately 29 to 198 yuan, with premium formats such as IMAX and CINITY commanding higher prices.

Chen Jin, a data analyst at Beacon, noted that the release of "Avatar: Fire and Ash" and several other year-end blockbusters is expected to drive China's annual box office revenue beyond the 50-billion-yuan mark, rounding off a strong year for the film industry.

The third installment of Avatar continues the epic adventure on Pandora, delving deeper into themes of humanity, nature, and technology.

Some cinemas in Shanghai will also host special themed events. At venues such as Wujiaochang Wanda Cinema and Hoyts Cinema, movie buffs can exchange tickets from special screenings for limited-edition artistic posters, while lifelike installations of Avatar characters will also be on display.