Summer box office in 2026 sets record with $4.76 billion in ticket sales
The 2026 summer moviegoing season set a historic record: from May 1 to September 7, ticket sales reached $4.76 billion. CNBC Top News reports. The previous record of $4.75 billion was set in 2013.
The summer season, which usually runs from the first weekend in May to the Labor Day weekend, typically accounts for about 40% of annual box office revenue. In 2026, it was seven days longer than in 2013: that year, the season ran from May 3 to September 2.
Contribution of major releases
More than $1.5 billion, or over 30% of summer revenue, was generated by Sony's “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and Universal's “The Odyssey.” Another five films — “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” “Obsession,” “Backrooms,” the biographical film “Michael,” and “Toy Story 5” — collectively brought in more than $1.4 billion.
According to Rentrak, summer box office revenue in 2026 was nearly 10% higher than in 2019. At the same time, since the start of the year, the gap with the pre-pandemic level narrowed to 7.5%, or $595 million. Before the summer season began, it stood at 24%, or about $830 million. Analysts forecast that annual revenue could exceed $10 billion for the first time in seven years.
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Fewer releases and more expensive tickets
Financial figures do not reflect all changes in the industry. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, cinema attendance compared with 2019 is lower by nearly a quarter of a billion visits, while the number of movie theaters has declined.
Since the start of 2026, 68 films have received wide release — 14% fewer than during the same period in 2019, when there were 79 such releases. Wide releases include films that opened or were later shown in more than 2,000 theaters.
The average price of a standard ticket rose from $9.16 in 2019 to $12.75 in 2026, according to Cinema United and EntTelligence. Tickets for premium large-format screenings cost $18.26 on average, while the average IMAX ticket price is $20.57. Viewers are increasingly choosing more expensive formats, including 70-millimeter IMAX screenings of “The Odyssey.”
