Box Office 2026: the successes and failures of cinema so far

The global box office has finally regained its usual rhythm, years after the pandemic hit the film industry hard. Surprise hits like “Obsession” and “Backrooms”, along with successful sequels like “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and “Toy Story 5”, have driven audiences back to theaters.

According to data from Rentrak, ticket sales in the United States rose by 10% compared to 2025. Hollywood is experiencing its strongest summer since the pandemic, with revenues that could exceed US$4 billion for the first time since the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon of 2023.

The big hits of the first half of the year

“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” grossed US$1 billion globally, with a budget of just US$110 million. Although it did not match the numbers of its predecessor, it confirmed that audiences still want to return to the Mushroom Kingdom.

“Project Hail Mary”, starring Ryan Gosling, earned US$683.3 million with a budget of US$200 million, validating Amazon MGM Studios' bet on the theatrical release business.

The phenomenon of Michael, the biopic of Michael Jackson

“Michael” grossed US$1 billion worldwide, despite controversy over costly reshoots and criticism for offering a sanitized portrayal of the singer.

The film surpassed “Bohemian Rhapsody” (US$911 million) as the highest-grossing musical biopic in history, and “Oppenheimer” (US$975 million) as the highest-grossing film about a real figure.

The boom of independent productions

“Obsession”, directed by 26-year-old YouTuber Curry Barker, grossed US$426 million with a budget of just US$750,000. The film had four consecutive weekends with earnings surpassing its opening.

This success, along with that of “Backrooms” (another low-budget horror film directed by YouTuber Kane Parsons), demonstrated that young audiences are also going to the movies.

The most resonant failures of the season

“Supergirl” grossed only US$115 million, with a budget of US$170 million, affected by negative reviews and the audience's lack of familiarity with the character.

The disappointments of Star Wars and The Bride

“Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” earned US$340 million with a budget of US$165 million, on track to become the lowest-grossing film in the saga, surpassing the poor performance of “Solo: A Star Wars Story” (US$392 million).

“The Bride!”, directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and starring Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley, grossed only US$23.9 million against a budget of US$90 million, forcing Warner Bros. to take a significant accounting loss.

The releases that landed in a middle ground

“Hoppers”, from Pixar, grossed US$372 million with good reviews, although its performance fell short of “Elemental” (2023), which reached nearly US$500 million despite a slower start.

“The Breadwinner”, starring Nate Bargatze, grossed US$20 million against a budget of US$25 million, failing to attract even the comedian's fans.

Horror and science fiction with mixed results

“28 Years Later: Bone Temple” earned US$58.5 million with a budget of US$63 million, just seven months after the release of its predecessor.

“Disclosure Day”, directed by Steven Spielberg, grossed US$228 million with a budget of US$110 million. Despite good reviews, the film failed to attract younger audiences, who are more interested in productions from YouTube creators.

What to expect for the second half of the year

There are still major releases to come to theaters, including “The Odyssey”, “Dune: Part Three”, and “Avengers: Doomsday”, which could define the final outcome of the season.