Chris Pratt's sci-fi thriller 'Mercy' is projected to debut with $10 million to $13 million in North American theaters, aiming to end 'Avatar: Fire and Ash's five-week run at the top. The film marks Amazon MGM's first major release of 2026. 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' is expected to earn $8 million to $10 million in its sixth weekend.
Chris Pratt stars in 'Mercy,' a PG-13 sci-fi thriller directed by Timur Bekmambetov, set in the near future where Pratt plays a detective on trial for allegedly murdering his wife. The case is judged by an advanced AI portrayed by Rebecca Ferguson. Produced at a cost of $60 million before marketing, the film opens in 3,400 North American theaters this weekend.
'Avatar: Fire and Ash,' the third installment in James Cameron's franchise, has dominated domestic charts for five straight weekends. It has grossed $368 million in North America and $1.32 billion worldwide, making it the second-highest grossing release of 2025 after 'Zootopia 2,' which earned $394 million domestically and $1.7 billion globally. The previous 'Avatar' films set high benchmarks: the 2009 original at $2.9 billion and 2022's 'The Way of Water' at $2.3 billion worldwide.
As January traditionally sees slower box office performance, the industry is pacing 18% ahead of 2025, per Comscore. 'Mercy' is Amazon MGM's initial big theatrical push for the year, followed by projects like Ryan Gosling's 'Project Hail Mary,' the toy-based 'Masters of the Universe,' and the Colleen Hoover adaptation 'Verity.'
David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research noted, "2026 was off to a good start thanks to strong holdover business." He added that with schools back in session and holiday releases fading, "the box office is slowing. We don’t want to see a slump."
The 'Avatar' series has a history of longevity, with the first two films holding the No. 1 spot for seven weekends each. Whether 'Fire and Ash' can extend its streak remains to be seen amid this new challenger's arrival.
