U.S. and Canadian theaters generated a record $4.765 billion from May 1 through Labor Day, narrowly surpassing the 2013 summer record by $9.3 million. The result was driven partly by higher ticket prices, premium formats and concession spending rather than a full attendance recovery: cinemas sold 547.1 million tickets through mid-August, compared with 795.9 million in the same period of 2019, while inflation-adjusted summer revenue remained 17% below that year. Summer revenue rose 26.1% from 2025, and year-to-date box office reached $7.384 billion, up 20.8%, with Texas Capital seeing a path to $10 billion in 2026. Cinemark and AMC are benefiting from premium screenings, higher per-patron spending and tighter cost control, even as streaming and fewer theatrical releases pressure the industry. The Odyssey and Spider-Man each grossed more than $1 billion worldwide, illustrating demand for both prestige films and major franchises. Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three will test the premium-event model when they open on Dec. 18.