Overview
- Industry estimates put 2025 North American grosses near $8.87 billion, roughly 1% above 2024 but about 21% below 2019’s pre‑pandemic benchmark.
- Hits such as A Minecraft Movie, Zootopia 2 and Avatar: Fire and Ash, plus the original breakout Sinners, lifted totals but could not restore pre‑COVID momentum.
- A choppy release pattern weighed on results, with a weak first quarter and an October slump that sank to a 27‑year low after schedule shifts.
- Exhibitors faced financial strain, including a steep AMC share decline, while Netflix’s reported $72 billion bid for Warner Bros. Discovery raised distribution concerns though no deal has closed.
- Studios tout a crowded 2026 slate—from early titles like Goat, Scream 7, Hoppers, The Bride! and Project Hail Mary to The Odyssey and Avengers: Doomsday—with some projections suggesting a possible return toward $10 billion if films perform.