Universal Pictures hits $5 billion global box office mark in 2026
Universal Pictures became the first studio to surpass $5 billion in worldwide box-office revenue for 2026, driven by hits such as Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and the Michael Jackson biopic.
Universal Pictures announced on Friday that its 2026 theatrical earnings have exceeded $5 billion worldwide, making it the first studio to reach that level this year. The studio reported $1.788 billion in domestic receipts and $3.218 billion from international markets.
The milestone follows a series of high-grossing releases, including Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and the Michael Jackson biopic, each of which has earned more than $1 billion globally. The Michael Jackson film was distributed overseas by Universal, while Lionsgate handled its domestic release.
Additional contributors to the revenue total were Illumination’s animated titles Minions and Monsters, as well as Focus Features’ horror film Obsession, which became the highest-earning release for both Focus and Blumhouse’s Atomic Monster label.
"The Odyssey" has become Universal’s highest-grossing film ever, surpassing $1.7 billion worldwide, according to studio figures. The movie features an ensemble cast that includes Matt Damon, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland and Anne Hathaway.