Running Start! International and Domestic Box Office Record Best January Since 2020

Why It Matters

The rebound confirms renewed audience appetite and validates a broader global slate, while China’s slump underscores the market’s sensitivity to holiday timing. This performance sets the tone for the 2026 box‑office outlook.

Key Takeaways

• International box office hit $1.76B, +12% YoY
• Domestic January $635M, first $100M title since 2023
• China January $293M, -68% YoY, lowest since 2020
• Top five films earned $1.22B, 45% of total
• Global box office $2.7B, -10% YoY, -21% pre‑pandemic avg

Pulse Analysis

The January 2026 box‑office surge marks the first post‑pandemic month to surpass 2020 levels, driven by a diversified slate of releases that appealed to multiple demographics. International markets, led by a robust EMEA performance, generated $1.76 billion, narrowing the gap to pre‑pandemic benchmarks and signaling that global demand for theatrical content is stabilizing. This rebound is reinforced by strong domestic earnings, where Avatar: Fire and Ash alone delivered $134 million, pushing U.S. revenues to $635 million and delivering the first $100 million‑plus title in January since 2023.

Regional dynamics reveal a stark contrast: while EMEA and the U.S. posted double‑digit growth, China’s box office contracted sharply to $293 million, a 68% year‑on‑year decline caused by the shift of the Chinese New Year holiday to February. The Chinese market’s volatility highlights the importance of holiday timing for revenue forecasts and suggests studios may need to recalibrate release strategies for the region. Meanwhile, the five highest‑grossing titles captured $1.22 billion, accounting for 45% of the month’s total, underscoring the outsized impact of blockbuster tentpoles on overall performance.

Looking ahead, February’s slate—including legacy horror SCREAM 7, a high‑profile adaptation of Wuthering Heights, and the animated sports film GOAT—should sustain the upward trajectory if genre variety continues to attract broader audiences. Studios are likely to double down on multi‑genre, multi‑territory releases to hedge against regional fluctuations, especially in China. The early 2026 data suggest a cautiously optimistic outlook for the global film industry, provided that supply‑side diversification and strategic timing remain central to distribution plans.