'Fire and Ash' Earns $12M in Previews; 'Housemaid' Exceeds $2M

20th Century Studios' *Avatar: Fire and Ash* generated an estimated $12 million in preview earnings, commencing with showtimes at 2 PM today. While this figure trails behind the $17 million preview earned by 2022's *Avatar: The Way of Water* (which went on to achieve a $53.2 million Friday and a $134.1 million three-day opening), it's important to consider the current proximity to Christmas. The holiday season may initially present distractions for audiences before they fully embrace the 3-hour and 17-minute James Cameron film. Industry expectations placed the film, penned by Cameron, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Josh Friedman, and Shane Salerno, between $90 million and $105 million domestically for the weekend. The long-term performance of any *Avatar* film should be assessed into late January.

The $12 million preview figure aligns with similar follow-ups like Warner Bros.' *Dune: Part Two* (which began previews at 3 PM on a Thursday), which earned $32.2 million in its full Friday/previews and ultimately grossed $82.5 million over three days. Similarly, Disney/Marvel Studios' *Captain America: Brave New World* had Thursday night previews of $40.9M, leading to a $88.8M 3-day opening. It is worth noting that Marvel movies often benefit from 'fear of missing out,' driving initial turnout, whereas audiences tend to carefully select showtimes and seating for *Avatar* films. The Rotten Tomatoes critics score for *Fire and Ash* is 69% fresh, compared to the original 2009 film's 81% certified fresh and *Way of Water*'s 76% certified fresh.

Lionsgate's R-rated thriller, *The Housemaid*, starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, is performing well, with preview earnings between $2.25 million and $2.3 million. While industry forecasts were above $20 million, Lionsgate anticipates a figure in the teens, emphasizing a long-term strategy throughout the holiday season for the Paul Feig-directed adaptation of Freida McFadden's novel. The film has garnered positive reviews, with a 77% certified fresh rating. Previews started at 2 PM, and the numbers are slightly below those of *Hustlers* (pre-Covid with $2.5 million previews, a $13 million Friday, and a $33.1 million opening) and *Don't Worry Darling* ($3.1 million previews, $9.4 million Friday, $19.3 million opening), and comparable to *Where the Crawdads Sing* (PG-13), which had $2.3 million in previews, a $7.2 million Friday, and a $17.2 million three-day opening.

Thursday nights typically see fewer families at previews. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. while 8% of K-12 students are off on Friday, that number increases to 81% by Monday, according to ComScore. Angel Studios' animated feature *David*, which began showtimes at 12 noon, is estimated to have earned around $1.8 million. The faith-based family film is projected by many to rank No. 2 this weekend with $20 million to $25 million. Presales yesterday reached $14 million. Critics give the movie a 63% fresh rating, while audiences on Rotten Tomatoes rate it at 97%.

Paramount's *SpongeBob Movie: The Search for Squarepants* generated $1.3 million in previews. This figure matches DreamWorks Animation's *Boss Baby 2: Family Business*, which resulted in a $16 million three-day opening (that film also had a Peacock theatrical day-and-date release in July 2021). The opening outlook for the fourth *SpongeBob* movie is in the teens to $20 million. The film has the highest Rotten Tomatoes score in the franchise's history, with an 85% fresh rating.

Requests for comment from the respective studio sources regarding these figures went unanswered.