The summer box office season in the United States has reached a new record, with total revenues of $4.76 billion from May 1 to September 7, surpassing the previous high set in 2013. This surge has been largely driven by two major releases: "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" and "The Odyssey," films starring Tom Holland and Zendaya, who recently married.
"Spider-Man: Brand New Day," directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, has become the highest-grossing film of the year and the third highest-grossing film worldwide, with $2.4 billion in box office receipts to date. It achieved the second-best opening weekend ever in the U.S., trailing only "Avengers: Endgame" (2019), and became the second-fastest film to reach $1 billion globally within six days. Christopher Nolan’s "The Odyssey," an adaptation of Homer’s epic poem, has generated $1.6 billion, making it the top-grossing original movie of the year despite its literary source material.
Other notable contributors to the box office success include "Toy Story 5," "Michael," and "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie," each surpassing $1 billion in global ticket sales. Additionally, low-budget original horror films such as "Backrooms" and "Obsession" have performed strongly, earning $394 million and $513 million respectively, signaling a broader revitalization in the market beyond established franchises.
Not all sequels and spinoffs matched this momentum. Titles such as "Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu," which earned $345.4 million, "Supergirl" with $126.4 million, and "Minions & Monsters" at $518.1 million fell short in comparison to expectations, with some earning about half the revenue of similar previous installments.
Internationally, cinema attendance has also shown marked growth. The United Kingdom recorded a 56% increase in August admissions year-on-year, surpassing 17 million tickets sold and marking its strongest August since 2018, as well as the second-best month overall since July 2023. The increase was even more pronounced across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, where admissions rose by 88% compared to the previous year.
France experienced its highest number of August admissions since records began 46 years ago, with nearly 20 million tickets sold—an increase of 50% over 2025 figures. Italy saw record attendance for the summer period from June to August, with 20.8 million admissions and box office takings of €162.3 million ($176 million). Spain and the Netherlands also reported significant increases in moviegoers, with year-on-year rises of 71% and 77%, respectively.
The overall picture indicates a robust revival in theatrical film attendance both in the U.S. and internationally, driven by a combination of blockbuster franchises and successful original productions.