North American and UK summer box office hits records

The North American summer box office has achieved historic milestones, reaching a record $4.76 billion in domestic ticket sales between May 1 and September 7, 2026. This performance officially surpassed the previous all-time record of $4.755 billion set in 2013. The season demonstrated consistent strength, with each month from May through August generating over $1 billion in domestic revenue.

Key drivers of this record-breaking season include ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’, which earned over $2.4 billion worldwide and maintained the top spot for six consecutive weekends, and Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’, which grossed more than $1.55 billion globally. Additionally, ‘Toy Story 5’ contributed to the momentum with a $160 million domestic opening.

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the summer box office also reached its highest-grossing levels ever. Year-to-date takings in those territories reached £902.8 million, surpassing pre-pandemic 2019 figures. During the 18-week period from May 1 to September 3, the UK and Ireland market generated £527.8 million, with ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ and ‘The Odyssey’ together accounting for 56% of the August box office in those regions.

Beyond North America, cinema operators in the Grand Est and Moselle regions of France reported their best summer since the Covid-19 pandemic. Sandrine Gremillet, regional director for Kinépolis, suggested the industry recovery follows a period of instability involving health restrictions, Hollywood strikes, and streaming competition, noting that ‘when there is supply, there is demand.’ Gremillet also indicated that extreme heatwaves may have driven viewers toward air-conditioned theaters.