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The U.S. and Canadian summer box office set an all-time record in 2026, generating $4.765 billion between May 1 and Labor Day, according to data from box-office analytics firm Rentrak.
The figure narrowly surpassed the previous record of $4.756 billion set in 2013, marking a strong financial comeback for cinemas after years of disruption caused by the pandemic and the rise of streaming.
However, the record revenue masks a significant decline in movie attendance. Adjusted for inflation, this summer’s box office was still about 17% below 2019 levels, according to the New York Times.
North American cinemas sold 547.1 million tickets through mid-August, compared with 795.9 million during the same period in 2019, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data reported by the Associated Press.
Rising ticket prices and the growing popularity of premium screenings have allowed theaters to generate more revenue from fewer moviegoers.
Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Rentrak, said the stronger comparison may be with 2020, when theatrical attendance collapsed during the pandemic.
He said the record summer demonstrates the continuing cultural and financial importance of movie theaters, even in an era dominated by streaming.
The industry is also seeing changes in audience tastes. Dergarabedian pointed to the contrasting successes of The Odyssey and Spider-Man, both of which earned more than $1 billion worldwide. Together, the films accounted for nearly one-third of the summer box office.
He said audiences appear to want a combination of blockbuster entertainment and more sophisticated films, describing the trend as a demand for both “cinematic fast food” and “cinematic fine dining.”
Hollywood traditionally measures box-office performance using unadjusted revenue. On that basis, this summer’s $4.765 billion haul was about 9% higher than the $4.35 billion recorded during the summer of 2019.
But after adjusting the 2019 figure for inflation, it rises to roughly $5.7 billion, highlighting the continuing gap in the number of people going to cinemas.
The figures suggest that Hollywood’s post-pandemic business model is increasingly relying on higher ticket prices, premium experiences and a smaller number of major event films to drive revenue.
