The box office is bouncing back.
The worldwide box office is showing major signs of recovery, with 2026 now projected to become the most successful year for theatrical releases since 2019. Following a series of very strong summer movies and several other major blockbuster hits, the international market is expected to finish the year with its highest revenue in seven years.
According to Gower Street Analytics, worldwide ticket sales are now forecast to reach $35.7 billion in 2026. The updated figure represents a 2.9% increase over the company’s previous $34.7 billion estimate, which was announced ahead of CinemaCon in April. If the new projection holds, global box office revenue will increase approximately 6.3% compared to 2025.
Although the industry would still fall short of the $42.3 billion generated worldwide in 2019, the projected total would represent its strongest annual performance since the pandemic negatively impacted theaters in 2020. The encouraging outlook also follows several years of challenges that studios had to face, adjusting to fewer moviegoers and the growing popularity of streaming services such as Paramount+.
The latest forecast incorporates actual box office results provided by Rentrak. It also includes estimates from Gower Street Analytics, providing a clearer look at how the theatrical market could perform throughout the remainder of the year.
North America is expected to bring in $10.5 billion to the worldwide total, an 18% improvement compared to 2025. International markets outside China are projected to contribute another $19.7 billion, an increase of nearly 14%. China is predicted to generate $5.5 billion, declining 26% from its previous performance. A lot of the success of 2026 could be due to a very strong lineup of commercially successful films.
Five major releases based on popular franchises or properties have already surpassed $1 billion at the worldwide box office. Leading the year’s releases is Sony and Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which has earned $2.5 billion worldwide. Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey follows with approximately $1.8 billion. Pixar’s Toy Story 5 has grossed more than $1.1 billion globally. The Michael Jackson biopic Michael and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie have also garnered over $1 billion.
Aside from those box office hits, horror has emerged as another important part of the year’s theatrical success. Obsession has earned approximately $525 million worldwide, while Backrooms has grossed more than $400 million. These results were just the beginning of a strong comeback for the genre, with the adaptation of Capcom’s survival horror game Resident Evil also performing very well.
