James Cameron's latest cinematic endeavor, "Avatar: Fire and Ash," is poised to dominate the Christmas box office, with projections estimating it will accumulate over $80 million during the four-day holiday tracking period. The film, a sequel to 2009's "Avatar" and 2022's "Avatar: The Way of Water," has already achieved significant global success, earning more than $450 million worldwide in its first week of release. This impressive figure includes $119 million from the domestic box office and $331 million internationally. Mid-week ticket sales, such as $16.5 million in North America and $34.3 million internationally collected on a recent Tuesday, indicate a steady performance and strong potential for the film to maintain its No. 1 spot through the busy Christmas moviegoing period.

For fans eager to delve deeper into the creation of the "Avatar" universe, new books offer exclusive behind-the-scenes access. "The Making of Avatar," released on December 19, provides an in-depth look into the special effects and animation that brought the characters and world to life. This officially-licensed 256-page hardcover, published by DK and 20th Century Studios, explores the filmmaking process for all three "Avatar" films. It features interviews with the creative team and cast, a peek at storyboards, insights into digital animation and performance capture processes, and never-before-seen photos from the set, including the special effects studio. Produced in collaboration with James Cameron’s production company, Lightstorm Entertainment, and featuring a foreword from Cameron himself, the book reveals "the secrets of the incredible special effects that have brought the planet of Pandora unforgettably to life," acknowledging the franchise's world-renowned technical innovations and breakthroughs in 3D filming.

Another notable release trending among fans is "Avatar Fire and Ash: The Visual Dictionary." This 128-page hardcover book offers a comprehensive guide to the world of "Avatar: Fire and Ash," providing an in-depth look into every character, environment, weapon, and technology featured in the new film. Released in conjunction with James Cameron, it is described as the definitive guide, featuring new entries for characters, flora, and fauna, along with "revelatory information about their lifestyles, possessions, and environment." Filled with extensively detailed illustrations and captions, the visual dictionary serves as an excellent resource for trivia and a coveted collector's item.

Beyond the "Avatar" phenomenon, the Christmas holiday season is seeing other films enter the theatrical landscape. Three new releases, A24’s Timothee Chalamet-led sports dramedy “Marty Supreme,” the Focus Features musical drama “Song Sung Blue,” and Sony’s disaster comedy “Anaconda,” are set to open on Christmas Eve, with their grosses to be reported on Christmas Day. Meanwhile, Disney’s animated sequel “Zootopia 2” continues its formidable run, expected to remain a strong contender through the holiday. The family-friendly juggernaut has already earned an impressive $1.3 billion worldwide, including a staggering $993 million overseas, surpassing its 2016 predecessor and on track to become only the second animated film ever, after “Inside Out 2,” to exceed $1 billion internationally.

In a broader industry achievement, Disney recently celebrated a significant box office milestone. Thanks to all-audience hits such as "Zootopia 2" and "Lilo & Stitch," the studio surpassed $6 billion in global ticket sales for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic and the fifth time in its history. This total includes $2.3 billion domestically and $3.65 billion internationally, underscoring Disney's continued dominance in the global entertainment market.