Updated: Dec 31, 2025 11:06 am IST
The Hollywood box office is set to take more than $8 billion this year, up just 1.2% from 2024, and well below pre-pandemic highs.
Much was expected regarding 2025 Hollywood box office performance. There were some big releases, like the final Mission: Impossible film and Avatar: Fire and Ash. In the middle of the year, horror got a lease of life with Sinners and other hits. And Zootopia hits it out of the park with A Minecraft Movie. Still, the success of these films wasn’t enough to quell fears of acquisitions, shutdowns and more in a worrisome year for Hollywood.
Hollywood box office growth slows in 2025
The year 2025 saw slowing growth of Hollywood films in North America, with theaters struggling to reach pre-pandemic sales levels. Bloomberg reported that American and Canadian theaters grossed $8.76 billion through December 28 this year. While this represents growth of 1.6% from 2024, according to comScore, it was still well below the pre-pandemic heights seen by the cinema industry, when a $10 billion year was the norm. A full-year record of $11.9 billion was set in 2018.
some bright lights
Two Disney films, Avatar: Fire and Ash and Zootopia 2 led in earnings in the last days of the year. But they weren’t enough to help the industry move beyond its pre-pandemic days.
While the top 10 was once again dominated by sequels and spinoffs of popular franchises, there were exceptions to the rule. Produced by Warner Bros. Discovery A Minecraft movie, which ranked No. 1 in domestic ticket sales, while Sinners, an original horror film from director Ryan Coogler, ranked seventh.
Fear about the future of theaters
Still, declining stock and news of hostile takeovers meant this year remained a worrying one for the larger cinema industry in the US. Shares of AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc., the largest U.S. theater chain, have fallen nearly 60% this year. news of Netflix is ​​trying to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, raising fears about the theater model. Netflix has historically released only a fraction of its films for limited theatrical release. So even though the streamer has promised that Warner Bros. movies will continue to be released in theaters if this happens, many are still worried about the future of theaters.
Ironically, the year ends with the final episode of a streaming show playing in theaters. In a special promotion, Netflix is ​​screening the final episode of its TV show Stranger Things in theaters for two days from December 31. Seats are free, but attendees must purchase concessions in advance.
