The US box office has recorded its biggest opening weekend in history, boosted by the success of films like Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey. Domestic box office revenue has reached $6.2 billion through August 2, a 15% increase from the same period last year, positioning 2026 for its best year since the pandemic.
However, this revenue growth is largely due to higher ticket prices and premium-format screenings, rather than a broad return of audiences. Through the first 30 weeks of 2026, an estimated 470.9 million tickets were sold, significantly fewer than the 747.3 million sold during the same period in 2019. Foot traffic data also indicates that US theatre attendance, while up 8.1% compared to 2025, is still down 27% against 2019 levels.
Wade Holden, an analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence, noted that revenue growth for exhibitors has been primarily driven by increases in average ticket and concession prices. The average adult ticket price was $13.46 through July 30 this year, with premium formats like IMAX averaging $18.22.
This year has also seen a stronger and more varied slate of films, including non-franchise successes such as Obsession and Project Hail Mary. Shawn Robbins, director of movie analytics for Fandango, stated that this year's success reflects a well-rounded release calendar appealing to a wide spectrum of moviegoers.