James Cameron's latest installment of his sci-fi trilogy, "Avatar: Fire and Ash," opened in the Chinese mainland on December 19, grossing 101 million yuan (about $14 million) on its first day, indicating a steady market response amid increasingly diversified audience preferences.

With a runtime of 198 minutes, the film accounted for more than 46 percent of total screenings on its opening day. Its length naturally affects cinema scheduling and audience viewing choices.

The story continues from "Avatar: The Way of Water." At the recently ended Hainan International Film Festival, Cameron noted that the second and third installments were originally developed as a single narrative, later split into two films to better serve the story's dramatic and emotional arc.

Long recognized for pushing visual effects boundaries, the "Avatar" series showcases how technological advances translate into immersive cinematic experiences.

The strong opening reflects Chinese audiences' continued interest in large-scale international productions with high-level visuals.