The box office for the first weekend of 2026 is up by a fair amount over last year, thanks to the release of another “Avatar” sequel and the holding piwer of a Disney animated sequel, with help from Sydney Sweeney Bros and Boomers getting around to “Song Sung Blue.”

The mediocre blockbuster “Avatar: Fire and Ash” is looking at a $36 million weekend ($14 million Friday, down from $36 million LAST Friday), a 43% drop from post Xmas weekend.

Another $18 million for “Zootopia 2” pushes it closer to the $400 million mark. Its legs may not last for the longer haul. And Oscar buzz might not be there for it, but family audiences trust Disney to deliver.

“The Housemaid” starring Sydney Sweeny and Amanda Seyfried is impressively hanging on to its audience, week to week, with a $13.8 million weekend — down a mere 10% percent from last weekend, if that holds true. Sweeney may have a $100 million ($75 so far) hit on her resume, upping her agent’s quote.

Boutique distributor A24 is still popping Cava corks over “Marty Supreme,” a Timothee Chalamet star vehicle which is adding another $11-12 million to the coffers, pushing it over the $50 million mark. Pity his more likable and far superior Dylan biopic didn’t do this.

Apparently, not enough people have been warned to drive the awful “Anaconda” reboot out of the top five ($9.-9.5).

“Spongebob” adds another $7-8 to his latest outing, which clears $57 million by midnight Sunday and should manage $75 million before it shows up on Paramount+.

Angel Studios’ animated musical Biblical holiday release “David” is marching towards the $85-90 million mark ($70 million so far) and qualifies as one of the sleepers of the season. It’s in seventh.

Last weekend, I predicted the older audience “Song Sung Blue” is aimed at would get around to it, and they are. They’re clearing $5.5-6, a 20% or so falloff from opening weekend, good enough for eighth and if there’s any sort of awards bounce, it’ll claw its way into the black (It will have earned @$25 million by midnight Sunday).

“Wicked: For Good” ($3 million by midnight Sunday, good enough for 9th place) must be reaching beyond its high school theater nerds, past and present, demographic, as it will clear $400 million by midnight Sunday or Monday evening. They must be seeing it over and over again.

And the Daisy Ridley horror tale “We Bury the Dead,” the only real “wide” release this first weekend of hte new year, will come close enough to $3 million to crack the Top Ten and chase Oscar contender “Hamnet,” “Weekend at Freddy’s 2” and possible contender “Is This Thing On?” out of the Top Ten.

I’ll update these figures Sunday when they become chiseled in um, stone.