Will Chris Pratt's sci-fi thriller "Mercy" dethrone James Cameron's "Avatar: Fire and Ash" at the box office? The highly anticipated film is set to challenge the juggernaut at the weekend box office, with both movies aiming for substantial earnings. While "Avatar 3" has already spent five weekends at the top spot on domestic charts, "Mercy" is the only major newcomer this weekend and the first big release of the year for Amazon MGM. With a PG-13 rating and a production cost of $60 million, the film directed by Timur Bekmambetov promises an intriguing near-future plot where a detective (Pratt) stands trial for the murder of his wife, judged by an advanced AI (Rebecca Ferguson). But here's where it gets controversial... Will the third trip to Pandora be able to match the record-breaking success of the first two Avatar films? "Avatar" movies are known for their impressive staying power, with the first two films dominating the box office for seven consecutive weekends. However, "Avatar: Fire and Ash" has already earned $368 million in North America and $1.32 billion globally, falling short of the box office heights of its predecessors, 2009's "Avatar" and 2022's "Avatar: The Way of Water". So, will "Avatar 3" be able to turn things around and reclaim its top spot? January is traditionally a slower month at the movies, but the box office is pacing 18% ahead of 2025, according to Comscore. Cinema operators are hoping the momentum sustains, with upcoming blockbuster hopefuls like "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" and Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey". However, as kids are back in school and the holiday releases are winding down, the box office is slowing. Will "Mercy" be able to buck this trend and dethrone "Avatar: Fire and Ash"? Or will the Avatar juggernaut continue its reign? The answer lies at the box office this weekend.
