US Box Office Posts Highest Year‑to‑Date Totals Since Pre‑Pandemic

Domestic box office revenue in the United States reached $4.46 billion through June 21, the strongest year‑to‑date performance since 2019. The surge is driven by a range of releases rather than a single franchise, with seven titles posting opening weekends over $75 million, including “Project Hail Mary,” “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” “Michael,” “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” “Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu,” “Backrooms,” and “Toy Story 5.”

“Toy Story 5” posted a $160 million domestic opening, the largest of the year and the biggest debut in its franchise, while the film earned $312 million worldwide. Overall, the year’s box‑office total now stands at $4.47 billion, and analysts project that domestic receipts could reach or exceed $10 billion, surpassing the $8.9 billion recorded in 2023. The recovery comes after several years of uneven performance attributed to streaming competition, production delays, and shifting viewer habits. Some legacy franchises, such as the latest “Star Wars” entry, have underperformed relative to expectations, highlighting a broader shift toward diverse, audience‑friendly titles.