The Australian box office has topped $100 million for three consecutive months for the first time in history, with April, May and June 2026 each surpassing the threshold.
According to data from Numero and CineTAM, cinema admissions across the country were up 16% year-on-year in the first half of 2026.
A mix of franchise films, event cinema and original content drove the result. Standout performers in the first half included Wuthering Heights, Project Hail Mary, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and The Devil Wears Prada 2, while musical biopic Michael has become the highest-grossing film of the year to date.
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Momentum has accelerated over the past fortnight following the release of Toy Story 5 and Minions & Monsters, setting up what is expected to be a strong July school holiday period.
The outlook for the second half of 2026 is strong, with several major global releases due this month, including the live-action Moana, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, all tipped to post record-breaking theatrical results.
Guy Burbidge, Managing Director of Val Morgan Cinema, said the milestone reflected both the strength of the film slate and continued investment in cinema infrastructure.
“Three consecutive $100M+ months is a landmark achievement and proves just how strongly Aussies love watching movies at the cinema,” Burbidge said.
Guy Burbidge
“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 as ScreenX and HOYTS’ newly introduced APEX screens – truly signalling the strength of the industry. 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,” he added.
Turns out cinemas are still the reel deal.
No, don’t get up. I’ll show myself out.