The Australian box office has delivered a milestone, with April, May and June 2026 each surpassing $100 million, marking the first time the market has ever achieved three consecutive $100 million months.
The record-breaking run caps off a standout first half of the year, with cinema admissions in Australia up 16 per cent year-on-year.
Across the first half of 2026, a mix of franchise films, event cinema and original content powered attendance. Standout performances included Wuthering Heights, Project Hail Mary, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and The Devil Wears Prada 2. Musical biopic Michael has become the highest grossing movie of the year to date.
Momentum has accelerated over the past fortnight with the release of Toy Story 5 and Minions & Monsters, further lifting box office performance and laying a strong foundation for the July school holiday period.
The outlook for the second half of 2026 is strong, with major global releases expected to drive audience demand.
Key upcoming titles include the live-action Moana, The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, all set for release this month and positioned to be record-breaking releases. A broader pipeline of diverse content is also expected to maintain momentum through the remainder of the year.
“Three consecutive $100 million months is a landmark achievement and proves just how strongly Aussies love watching movies at the cinema. These record-breaking numbers are a result of not just the best content on the planet, but a sustained investment in the cinema experience itself, with the expansion of IMAX across Australia, alongside premium screen formats such ScreenX and HOYTS’ newly introduced APEX screens – truly signalling the strength of the industry,” said Val Morgan Cinema managing director Guy Burbidge.
“Demand for immersive entertainment is at an all-time high, and these formats deliver experiences audiences can’t get anywhere else. The depth of our slate is incredibly strong, with a diverse and high-quality pipeline of releases set to carry this momentum through the remainder of the year and into 2027.”
