‍‍`Avatar: Fire and Ash‍‍` passes $1 billion mark worldwide

"Avatar: Fire and Ash" has surpassed the $1 billion mark at the global box office, as it kept the top spot in North American theatres with another $40 million in ticket sales, industry estimates showed on Sunday (4 January).

The third instalment in director James Cameron‍‍`s blockbuster series has now earned $306 million in the United States and Canada, and another $777 million abroad, putting the total at $1.08 billion, Exhibitor Relations reported.

"Fire and Ash" stars Zoe Saldana as Na‍‍`vi warrior Neytiri and Sam Worthington as ex-Marine Jake Sully, who must battle a new foe threatening their family‍‍`s life on the planet Pandora.

It is the fourth Cameron film to pass the $1 billion mark, with the first two being "Avatar" films and "Titanic."

In second place in North America was "Zootopia 2," Disney‍‍`s feel-good animated film and an Oscar contender, at $19 million. Its global total now stands at nearly $1.6 billion.

Coming in third at $14.9 million was Lionsgate‍‍`s "The Housemaid," a film version of Freida McFadden‍‍`s best-selling novel about a young woman (Sydney Sweeney) who is hired by a wealthy couple (Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar) with dark secrets.

"Marty Supreme," A24‍‍`s period sports drama starring Timothee Chalamet, finished in fourth place with $12.6 million.

"Anaconda," the new meta comedy action flick starring Paul Rudd and Jack Black as friends trying to reboot the original 1997 horror film, finished in fifth place with $10 million.

Rounding out the top 10 are: "The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants" ($8.2 million), "David" ($8 million), "Song Sung Blue" ($5.8 million), "Wicked: For Good" ($3.3 million) and "Five Nights at Freddy‍‍`s 2" ($2.7 million).