Play store
Hollywood is wrapping up its strongest summer movie season since the Covid-19 pandemic, with a diverse mix of blockbusters, sequels and original films drawing audiences back to cinemas.
The US and Canadian box office generated $4.6 billion in ticket sales from the first weekend of May through August 30, according to measurement firm Rentrak. That is 26 percent higher than the same period last summer.
Major releases including Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Universal’s The Odyssey and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 helped drive the surge. Analysts estimate that the overall 2026 North American box office could exceed $10 billion.
The summer movie season officially ends on Labor Day, September 7. Although this year’s total is unlikely to beat the inflation-adjusted record of $6.8 billion set in 2013, industry executives say the recovery is broad-based.
Horror films such as Backrooms and Obsession, made by directors who began their careers on YouTube, attracted large numbers of Gen Z moviegoers. Meanwhile, Michael, The Devil Wears Prada 2 and Scary Movie helped draw female audiences, while Spider-Man resonated strongly with young men.
“We are seeing literally every single age group, every single demographic, out in theaters,” said Jim Orr, president of domestic theatrical distribution at Universal Pictures.
The recovery follows years of disruption caused by the pandemic and the writers’ and actors’ strikes in 2023. Michael O’Leary of theater owners’ trade group Cinema United said the effects of the strikes lasted longer than expected, but studios have begun to regain momentum over the past year.
