Disney has become the first Hollywood studio to pass $1 billion at the worldwide box office in 2026. The milestone came just seven weeks into the year, powered by strong global releases and steady holdovers.
The biggest new opener of the weekend was Wuthering Heights, released by Warner Bros. The film earned $82 million globally. It made more than $42 million overseas and over $30 million domestically during the extended holiday frame. The romantic drama reportedly carries a production and marketing cost of about $180 million.
Sony’s animated film Goat debuted with $48 million worldwide. It earned $32 million in the U.S. and $15.6 million internationally. Europe led overseas markets, with strong numbers from the U.K., Spain, and France. The basketball-themed movie is rolling out gradually in more territories, including China and Australia in the coming weeks.
Amazon MGM Studios also entered the race with Crime 101, which opened to nearly $30 million globally. The film earned $12 million overseas and performed well in markets such as the U.K., Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Japan. Backed by a reported $90 million production budget, the studio is investing heavily in its theatrical strategy.
Disney continued to benefit from earlier hits. Zootopia 2 added another $16 million globally in its 12th weekend. The animated sequel has now reached $1.82 billion worldwide, with strong results in China and Japan.
Meanwhile, Avatar: Fire and Ash earned $13 million globally over the holiday frame. The film has now grossed $1.46 billion worldwide after nine weekends, with $396 million coming from North America.
Horror thriller Send Help, directed by Sam Raimi, added $14.5 million globally. The film’s worldwide total now stands at nearly $74 million against a reported $40 million production budget.
With major releases already performing well and more blockbusters on the way, 2026 is off to a fast start at the global box office. Disney currently leads the market, but competition remains strong as studios fight for audience attention worldwide.
