Theatrical Is Alive: YTD Domestic B.O. Surges Past $8 Billion, Two Months Sooner Than 2025

The motion picture studios can easily sing that 42nd Street song “We’re in the Money” as the U.S. and Canada box office clicked past the $8 billion mark on Friday.

Why is this a big deal? Because in post-Covid times distributors and exhibitors were thankful enough to even hit $8 billion in North America.

Rentrak points out that 2026 hit the $8 billion mark in 282 days, matching the exact pace of 2011 and reaching that milestone a full 59 days earlier than in 2025. Last year the domestic box office for Jan. 1-Dec. 31 finaled at $8.87B. Currently for the Jan. 1-Oct. 11 period, the U.S./Canada box office stands at $8.07B, +20% ahead of the same period in 2025 ($6.75B).

This is the fourth time that the domestic box office has clicked past $8B post-pandemic, the other two years being 2024 ($8.7B) and 2023 ($9B, the best domestic take post-Covid).

Many box office sources have forecasted that this year will final at $10 billion (Disney/Marvel Studio’s Avengers: Doomsday and Warner Bros/Legendary’s Dune Part III are expected to do the trick). Exhibitors and studios continue to yearn for the good old days: Between 2015-2019, the North American box office grossed $11B+ annually. The highest domestic B.O. year ever per Rentrak was 2018 with $11.9B.

Top ten movies at the domestic box office so far in 2026: