&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Golden Globes 2026: How Avatar 3 received box office achievement nomination without any box office | Eligibility criteria explained")
The nominations for the Golden Globes 2026 were revealed on Dec 7. However, what was shocking to many was how James Cameron's Avatar: Fire and Ash received a nomination before its theatrical release.
The third instalment in the billion-dollar Avatar franchise has bagged a nomination for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement. However, the announcement comes weeks before the sci-fi movie hits theatres.
Sam Worthington's wife and many others express confusion over the Golden Globes nomination
These Avatar nominations have left many confused, including the film's actor, Sam Worthington's wife, Lara, who was quick to question how the film got the nomination even when it has not earned $0 at the box office.
Commenting on an Instagram page of the franchise, Lara wrote, ''Box office achievement?? The movie isn’t even out yet!!!''
Apart from Lara, many netizens were also quick to question on what basis the movie nabbed the nomination in the box office category even before its release.
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One user wore,''When you thought the #BoxOffice achievement category couldn’t get more idiotic, there comes the #GoldenGlobes outdoing themselves nominating a movie not even out yet (so didn’t achieve anything) and a streaming film released in theatres for just 5 days?!?''
Another user wrote,''What I don’t understand is how a movie that HAS NOT YET BEEN RELEASED could be nominated for Cinematic & *Box Office* Achievement. Also, I don’t understand Cinematic & Box Office Achievement as a category. “Best achievement in making money.” Stupid.''
What are the criteria to get the nomination in the box office achievement category?
Soon after confusion grew over how Avatar 3 got the nomination without its release, we searched the eligibility criteria to understand the process. Here's what the rules say.
The Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, which was added to the award show in 2023, honours the film, ''that is the year’s highest-earning and/or most-viewed films that have gained extensive global audience support and produced exceptional creative content,'' read the Golden Globes website.
The eligibility criteria to have a nomination in this category reads,''Motion pictures are eligible for the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award if they achieve a box office receipt total/gross of $150 million, of which $100 million must come from the US domestic box office, and/or obtain commensurate digital streaming viewership recognized by trusted industry sources.''
How is Avatar eligible for the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement Award?
Avatar: Fire and Ash is the third film in the superhit franchise. The first two Avatar films were huge hits, with the first entry, released in 2009, being one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, earning over $2.9 billion. The 2022 sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, earned over $2.3 billion worldwide.
Set to release on Dec 19, the movie is one of the biggest releases of the year, and is supposed to earn outstanding numbers at the box office. The eligibility rules on the website state that films released after November 22 “may qualify based on projected box office performance and/or streaming views from recognized industry sources.”
Considering the box office numbers of the first two films, and early reviews of the Avatar franchise, it's clear why the movie earned a nomination.
