If you walked into a theater this morning, you probably saw a wall of blue. Avatar: Fire and Ash is still absolutely clobbering the competition, which isn't exactly a shocker given James Cameron’s track record of making more money than some small countries. But let's be real—sometimes you want something a bit more grounded than a ten-foot-tall alien riding a dragon.
Whether you’re dodging the January chill or just looking for an excuse to eat your weight in buttery popcorn, the current slate of what new movies playing is surprisingly diverse for what used to be Hollywood's "dump month."
The Heavy Hitters: From Pandora to the Post-Apocalypse
Honestly, the biggest news this week is 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. It’s weird to think we’re already getting the sequel to last summer’s revival, but Danny Boyle and Alex Garland decided to shoot these back-to-back, and it shows. This time, Nia DaCosta is in the director’s chair. It’s grittier. It’s faster. Ralph Fiennes returns as Dr. Ian Kelson, and let’s just say he brings a level of Shakespearean dread to a zombie movie that you didn’t know you needed.
Meanwhile, Avatar: Fire and Ash is entering its fifth week of dominance. It’s the first movie since Barbie to hold the number-one spot for four weekends straight. If you haven’t seen it yet, the "Ash People" are a lot meaner than the Na'vi we met in the previous films. It’s a bit of a tonal shift, but people are clearly buying in—it’s already sitting at over $1.2 billion globally.
✨ Don't miss: Who was the voice of Yoda? The real story behind the Jedi Master
What’s Hitting Screens This Friday?
If you're heading out right now, here is the breakdown of the most recent arrivals.
- 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple: The big wide release. Expect lots of running, lots of blood, and a very intense performance by Jack O’Connell.
- A Private Life: This one is a limited release, so check your local indie house. It stars Jodie Foster as a psychiatrist investigating a patient’s death. It’s a French black comedy-mystery that killed at Cannes last year.
- The Rip: Technically a Netflix drop, but it’s playing in select theaters if you want to see Matt Damon and Ben Affleck reunite on the big screen.
The Genre Gems You Might Miss
Sometimes the best stuff is buried under the blockbusters. Primate has been a sleeper hit this month. It’s a "natural horror" flick directed by Johannes Roberts. Basically, a family goes to Hawaii, reunites with their pet chimpanzee, and things go south very, very quickly. It’s been hovering near the top of the box office charts because, honestly, who doesn't love a "nature strikes back" story?
Then there's The Chronology of Water. This is Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut, starring Imogen Poots. It’s a biographical drama about a swimmer escaping an abusive home. It's heavy, yeah, but Poots is getting major awards buzz for this one. It just expanded to more theaters last week, so it’s much easier to find now than it was on New Year’s Day.
🔗 Read more: Not the Nine O'Clock News: Why the Satirical Giant Still Matters
Why January Isn't Just for Bad Movies Anymore
We used to call January a "dumping ground" for films the studios didn't trust. That's changing. Look at Greenland 2: Migration. Gerard Butler is back, and while it's a sequel to a streaming hit, the theatrical response has been massive. It’s a survival thriller that actually has a heart. People are showing up for it because it feels like a throwback to the mid-budget action movies we used to get every month in the 90s.
Coming Very Soon: Mark Your Calendars
If nothing playing today tickles your fancy, the next two weeks are stacked.
- Return to Silent Hill (Jan 23): Christophe Gans is back directing this franchise. It follows James (Jeremy Irvine) looking for his lost soulmate in that foggy, monster-filled town. The trailers look terrifyingly faithful to the games.
- Mercy (Jan 23): Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson in a sci-fi actioner. It’s an Amazon MGM project that’s getting a full theatrical push.
- Send Help (Jan 30): This is the big one for horror fans. Sam Raimi is directing Rachel McAdams in a survival thriller about a plane crash on an island. Raimi returning to his horror roots is basically a national holiday for cinephiles.
- The Moment (Jan 30): A24 is releasing a mockumentary starring Charli XCX. It’s supposedly a "Brat" style look at pop stardom, featuring cameos from Alexander Skarsgård and Kylie Jenner.
Making the Most of the Cinema Experience
If you're trying to figure out which of what new movies playing is worth the trip, look at the format. Avatar is obviously an IMAX or Dolby Cinema play—seeing that on a standard screen is like watching a Ferrari drive in a school zone. For something like The Bone Temple, the sound design is half the experience, so find a theater with a solid Atmos setup.
💡 You might also like: New Movies in Theatre: What Most People Get Wrong About This Month's Picks
Pro-tip for the budget-conscious: Check for "Discount Tuesdays" at chains like AMC or Regal. Most of these January hits are still eligible for those $6 or $7 tickets, even the newer releases like Greenland 2. Also, if you’re heading to see A Private Life or The Chronology of Water, check the smaller independent theaters; they often have better snacks and fewer rowdy teenagers.
Final Advice for Filmgoers
The best way to navigate the current box office is to balance the scale. Go see Avatar for the spectacle, but don't sleep on the smaller dramas like H Is For Hawk (starring Claire Foy) which is opening next week. The industry is in a weird spot where original stories are fighting for airtime against massive sequels, so if you like seeing stuff that isn't a part of a "cinematic universe," your ticket purchase actually matters right now.
Check your local listings for specific showtimes, as many of the smaller awards-contender films are shifting between limited and wide releases throughout the rest of the month.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check IMAX availability: Avatar: Fire and Ash is losing its IMAX screens to 28 Years Later in many cities starting this weekend. If you haven't seen it in 3D yet, go tonight.
- Scan for "Screening Room" tickets: Many theaters are running "Oscar Catch-up" marathons of 2025 hits alongside the new January releases.
- Verify Limited Release theaters: Use sites like Fandango to see if A Private Life or The Chronology of Water has expanded to your specific zip code.