BEIJING, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- While "Zootopia 2" continues to shatter box-office records across China, James Cameron's epic sci-fi film "Avatar: Fire and Ash" opened Friday in the Chinese mainland alongside its North American release.

Following "Avatar" (2009) and "Avatar: The Way of Water" (2022), the third installment in one of the most lucrative film franchises globally now joins a year-end release slate largely led by domestic titles in the world's second-largest film market.

As of 5 p.m. on its first screening day, "Avatar: Fire and Ash" had garnered over 90.39 million yuan (12.81 million U.S. dollars) in ticket sales, including preview screenings.

The 198-minute epic, premiering in China on Dec. 8 and holding nationwide previews on Wednesday and Thursday, wowed audiences with its breathtaking glasses-free 3D visuals.

One viewer, surnamed Wang from Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, gave the film a perfect score, praising its visual effects as "amazing" and "truly immersive."

However, not all feedback was positive. Another moviegoer from Guiyang, surnamed Jian, said, "The visual spectacle doesn't pack the same punch as the previous installments, and the plot feels somewhat repetitive."

With ticket prices ranging from 40 to 90 yuan, analysts consider the film's performance in China crucial for achieving its global box-office targets and for gauging Hollywood's appeal to Chinese audiences.

Despite strong anticipation, few would expect the new episode to match the record-setting performance of "Avatar" (2009) in China. Released in 2010 in the mainland, it became China's top-grossing title that year with 1.34 billion yuan in ticket sales.

The 2022 sequel earned 1.7 billion yuan in China but fell short of replicating that earlier success. By then, China's top box-office benchmark had been raised to 5.78 billion yuan by the 2021 domestic blockbuster "The Battle at Lake Changjin."

CHINA'S FILM MARKET POWER IN FOCUS

Industry watchers say Hollywood productions, hampered by predictable plots and cultural detachment, have struggled in recent years to attract Chinese audiences, who are increasingly drawn to the more diverse and culturally resonant stories offered by China's booming film industry.

Between 2020 and 2024, China's top three box-office hits each year were exclusively domestic films.

In early 2025, the homegrown animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" underscored the global appeal of Chinese cinema, becoming the first film to earn more than 1 billion U.S. dollars in a single market and the first non-Hollywood title to join the coveted billion-dollar club. With a global gross of 15.9 billion yuan, it secured a place among the five highest-grossing films in world cinema history.

Data from the China Film Administration shows the country's box office in 2025 had exceeded 50 billion yuan by mid-December, with domestic films capturing an impressive 81.9 percent of total earnings.

However, the rise of Chinese cinema does not signal a decline in Hollywood's appeal.

A prime example is "Zootopia 2," which debuted simultaneously in the Chinese mainland and North America on Nov. 26. By Friday, the film had grossed over 3.6 billion yuan in the mainland, surpassing its North American box office and making China the film's largest box-office market worldwide.

Film market researcher Chen Dan said the film's performance has boosted confidence across the industry, both at home and abroad. "The audience is still there," Chen said. "When strong content comes along, moviegoers are still willing to return to theaters and pay for tickets."

Observers also noted that the performance of "Zootopia 2" highlights the clout of China's film market and its role as an indispensable overseas market for Hollywood.

Sun Jiashan, a researcher with the Central Institute of Socialism, said the sheer scale of China's film market is making a tangible contribution to global cinema. In terms of box-office impact, he said, China is fully capable of matching the North American market.

An article published by Chinese newspaper Economic Daily said the success of films such as "Ne Zha 2" and "Zootopia 2" offers compelling proof of China's advantage as a super-sized market.

That advantage, the newspaper said, lies not only in the massive consumption potential of a population of more than 1.4 billion, but also in steadily upgrading consumer demand, increasingly sophisticated cultural tastes, and a strong capacity to allocate high-quality global resources.