Universal Pictures has become the first movie studio to pass $5 billion at the worldwide box office in 2026. The studio announced the milestone on Friday, September 25, after this week’s ticket sales pushed its yearly total past the mark. Universal has now earned $1.788 billion in North America and $3.218 billion from international markets.
This is only the third time in Universal’s long history that it has crossed $5 billion in a single year. The studio first hit the mark in 2015 and did it again in 2017. The gap between 2017 and 2026 makes this year’s achievement even more notable for the studio.
Three Billion-Dollar Movies Led the Way
Universal’s huge year was powered by three films that each crossed $1 billion worldwide. In a year when only five movies globally reached that level, Universal was behind three of them.
The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan, has been the studio’s biggest success. The mythological epic has earned more than $1.7 billion worldwide and recently became Universal’s highest-grossing movie ever, passing 2015’s Jurassic World. The film stars Matt Damon, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland, and Anne Hathaway.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie from Illumination and Nintendo was the first film of 2026 to reach $1 billion. It earned $428.5 million in the U.S. and $571.5 million overseas, bringing its global total to just over $1 billion.
Michael, the biopic about Michael Jackson, also crossed $1 billion. The film, distributed internationally by Universal and domestically by Lionsgate, became the first biopic ever to reach that mark. It earned $629.8 million overseas and $371.8 million domestically.
Small Budget, Huge Returns
One of Universal’s biggest success stories this year came from a very small film. Obsession, a low-budget horror movie from first-time director Curry Barker, was made for under $1 million. It went on to earn $519 million worldwide, making it Focus Features’ highest-grossing film ever and one of the most profitable movies of the year.
Illumination’s animated Minions & Monsters also added to the studio’s totals with $523.6 million globally.
Universal films now make up five of the ten highest-grossing movies worldwide in 2026. The list includes The Odyssey at No. 2, Michael at No. 4, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie at No. 5, Minions & Monsters at No. 8, and Obsession at No. 9.
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Universal Leads a Strong Year for Theaters
Universal has captured 26% of the global movie market so far in 2026. The studio has also topped the worldwide weekend box office for 11 weekends this year.
The studio is 29% ahead of its final global total from 2025, which was $3.89 billion.
Disney became the second studio to cross $4 billion globally in 2026, helped by films like Toy Story 5. No other studio has reached $5 billion yet this year.
Universal still has several films set for release in the coming months, including Other Mommy with Jessica Chastain on October 9, Sense & Sensibility on October 16, Focker-In-Law with Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, and Ariana Grande on November 27, Violent Night 2 on December 4, and Werwulf from director Robert Eggers on December 25.
Also Read: FocusFest 2026 Returns to Universal Studios With Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles
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