Hollywood has officially rediscovered the billion-dollar blockbuster.
Five films have already crossed $1 billion worldwide in 2026, the most in a single year since 2019, with animation, superheroes, music history and a Christopher Nolan epic all helping turn the global box office into a heavyweight race.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie got there first. Universal, Illumination and Nintendo’s animated sequel crossed $1 billion during its tenth weekend, pulling in roughly $438.5 million domestically and $571.5 million internationally. Made for a reported $110 million, the sequel continued the franchise’s remarkable run after 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Moviefinished near $1.36 billion.
Then Michael Jackson made box office history. Antoine Fuqua’s Michael, starring Jaafar Jackson, became the first biopic ever to reach $1 billion, passing Bohemian Rhapsody and Oppenheimer. Its $371.8 million domestic and $629.8 million international haul also made it Lionsgate’s biggest movie ever.
Pixar kept the momentum moving with Toy Story 5, which rode approximately $448 million domestically and $573 million overseas into the billion-dollar club.
Then Spider-Man arrived at a completely different speed. Sony and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day needed just six days to reach $1 billion worldwide, second only to Avengers: Endgame. Its $927 million global opening was the second-largest ever, followed by a record $47 million domestic Monday.
Now Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has joined them. The epic reached $1.008 billion after only 23 days, powered by $429.65 million domestically and $578.8 million internationally.
With projections reaching as high as $1.4 billion, The Odyssey could soon become the biggest movie of Nolan’s career. Five billion-dollar movies and 2026 still has plenty of calendar left.
