LOS ANGELES - Movie theater operators owe a debt of gratitude to the Na’vi and the new queen of artificial intelligence.

January tends to be a slow time of year at the box office. Yet James Cameron’s blockbuster sequel “Avatar: The Way of Water” and the viral horror movie “M3GAN” continue to slay, Variety reported.

In terms of new offerings, Sony’s “A Man Called Otto,” a tearjerker starring Tom Hanks as a grumpy widower, successfully expanded into wide release. Those ticket sales were enough for fourth place, behind the animated adventure “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” which stayed particularly strong over the holiday weekend.

The Critics Choice Awards were held Sunday night. The annual ceremony honored the year in film and television with “Everything Everywhere All at Once” leading film nominations at 14, while ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” lead television nominations with six.

Story Date: January 20, 2023