The summer box office has experienced a strong start, with domestic ticket sales exceeding $161 million over the weekend, marking an impressive 88% increase compared to the same period in 2025. Leading the box office was Disney and 20th Century Studio's "The Devil Wears Prada 2," which earned $41.6 million in its second week.
Warner Bros.' "Mortal Kombat II" debuted with $38.5 million, while Lionsgate's "Michael" contributed $37.9 million in its third week.
The weekend's success was further supported by new releases, including Amazon MGM's "The Sheep Detectives" and Paramount's "Billie Eilish — Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour," alongside strong performances from holdover films like Universal's "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" and Amazon's "Project Hail Mary." Paul Dergarabedian from Comscore noted that the second weekend in May typically sees solid returns, bridging the gap to the significant Memorial Weekend.
The ability of films to maintain ticket sales with less than a 50% drop from previous weekends is a positive indicator of audience interest and word-of-mouth. For instance, "The Devil Wears Prada 2" saw a 46% drop, while "Michael" only declined by 30%, and "Project Hail Mary" experienced a minimal 23% decrease in its eighth week.
Overall, the domestic box office has generated $3.02 billion in 2026, reflecting a 16% increase from last year, although it still lags behind the $3.8 billion recorded in 2019.
The summer movie season is expected to gain momentum with upcoming releases, including Disney's new Star Wars film and Pixar's "Toy Story 5." Shawn Robbins from Fandango highlighted that the affordability of theater-going remains appealing amidst economic uncertainties. The current trends suggest a favorable outlook for the box office as the summer season progresses