- Revenue for the second quarter of 2026 reached $1.1 billion, passing the company record of $958 million recorded in 2019 with the release of “Avengers: Endgame
- While billion-dollar hits like “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and “Michael” drove revenue, indie horror hits “Obsession” and “Backrooms” provided more ticket revenue than expected
- Concession revenue remains high for the chain with $6.80 per patron food & beverage spending reported
For the first time in its history, Cinemark reported quarterly revenue in excess of $1 billion on Thursday morning, lifted by a combination of billion-dollar Hollywood blockbusters and surprise summer hits.
Quarterly revenue surged 16% year-over-year to $1.1 billion, passing the company record of $958 million. That record was set in the second quarter of 2019, the quarter that featured the release of “Avengers: Endgame.”
Off of that revenue, Cinemark reported net income of $139 million and earnings per share of $$1.19, topping Zacks Investment Research’s projection of 99 cents per share and the 63 cents per share recorded a year ago.
“We are thrilled to report that Cinemark delivered historic results in the second quarter with all-time quarterly highs in revenue and Adjusted EBITDA, both domestically and internationally,” said President and CEO Sean Gamble in a statement.
“Our achievements reflect the significant progress we’ve made enhancing our consumer offerings, scaling revenue opportunities and further optimizing our business, combined with the impact of solid operating rigor in a robust box office environment. We commend our sensational team for their outstanding execution, and we applaud our studio partners for delivering such a fulsome and compelling slate of films that meaningfully connected with audiences throughout the quarter.”
The surge in revenue came after a second quarter in which North American grosses reached $2.97 billion, the highest recorded since the COVID-19 pandemic and an 11% year-over-year increase. Three films reached $1 billion worldwide this past quarter: Universal/Illumination’s “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” ($429.7M dom. grossed in Q2), Lionsgate’s “Michael” ($370.5M) and Disney/Pixar’s “Toy Story 5” ($318.8M). 20th Century Studios’ “The Devil Wears Prada 2” was also a major contributor with $220 million grossed domestically.
But just as vital to Cinemark’s revenue surge were Focus Features’ “Obsession” and A24’s “Backrooms,” two indie horror films that performed vastly above expectations.
While it is standard practice for theaters and studios to keep the exact terms of box office gross split confidential, the general rule of the industry is that studios tend to keep a larger share of the high-budget tentpoles, especially those expected to make $1 billion like “Mario,” while low-budget horror films like the $750,000 budgeted festival acquisition “Obsession” provide more favorable terms for theaters.
So when “Obsession” reached $261 million domestic and became the highest grossing festival acquisition of all time, it provided a windfall for exhibitors that had not been anticipated, and has helped Cinemark’s admissions revenue rise from $461 million a year ago to $540 million
Concession revenue also continues to rise by 15%, reaching $433 million.
The momentum is set to continue into the third quarter of 2026, as Universal’s “The Odyssey” has already lifted the domestic box office to $919 million ahead of the release of Sony’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” a film that is expected to exceed the $260 million domestic opening of its $2021 predecessor “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and contend for a $2 billion global gross.
Combined, the two films are expected to carry the box office through a quiet August release slate and into September, when films like Universal/DreamWorks’ “Forgotten Island” and Warner Bros.’ “Practical Magic 2” will be released.
