💰 Universal Becomes First Studio to Cross $4 Billion Globally in 2026

Disney was the first studio to reach the $3 billion mark in late June, but Universal seized the industry lead following a powerful summer box-office rally. The milestone marks only the fifth time in Universal’s history—and the first since 2023—that the studio has breached the $4 billion threshold. The year-to-date total comprises $1.53 billion in domestic ticket sales (North America) and $2.48 billion from international markets.

The primary engine behind Universal’s run is Christopher Nolan’s historical epic The Odyssey. Through its third weekend, the feature reached $911 million globally, rapidly closing in on the $1 billion threshold. Over its most recent three-day frame, the film generated $68 million across the global IMAX network—the second-highest tally in the format’s history. Remarkably, it achieved these figures while sharing multiplex real estate with Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which commanded the lion’s share of standard screens.

Universal’s strong 2026 performance is underpinned by several other record-breaking releases. Of the three films to cross $1 billion globally this year, two belong to Universal: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and the musical biopic Michael. Furthermore, features from Universal and its specialty arm Focus Features account for half of the top ten highest-grossing global releases year-to-date. Meanwhile, the horror title Obsession established a landmark record, grossing $475 million to become the highest-earning feature in the histories of both Focus Features and Blumhouse Atomic Monster.