The North American box office has posted a dramatic turnaround in 2026 after two years of gloomy headlines about a "comeback that wasn't." A string of hits, culminating in the latest Spider-Man film's record-breaking opening weekend, has industry figures speaking of relief rather than crisis, with one exhibitor representative saying "we're all breathing a hell of a lot easier."

The new Spider-Man film took in nearly $1 billion globally within days, including an all-time record domestic opening of $360 million, despite not being a premium-format spectacle like Avatar or Dune. It follows a run of successes including Project Hail Mary ($684 million), Obsession ($475 million), Backrooms ($390 million) and The Odyssey ($911 million), alongside billion-dollar earners Toy Story 5 and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Overall, 2026 has taken roughly $6.2 billion domestically so far, 15 percent ahead of the same point last year, though takings are expected to cool into autumn before a potential year-end surge from Dune: Part Three, Avengers: Doomsday and Jumanji: Open World in December.