2026 Has Already Produced 5 Billion-Dollar Movies — And 4 More Could Still Join the Club

2026 Has Already Produced 5 Billion-Dollar Movies — And 4 More Could Still Join the Club

Let that headline sink in for a second. Five movies have already crossed the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office in 2026, and the year isn't even over yet. We're looking at the biggest box office year since 2019 — and there are still four more contenders gunning for that coveted billion-dollar club before the calendar flips.

From Christopher Nolan's epic The Odyssey to Mattel's surprise juggernaut The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, 2026 has been a masterclass in getting butts back into theater seats. Here's the full breakdown of who made it — and who's still in the running.

The 5 Movies That Already Crossed $1 Billion

First, the ones that have already done it:

• Michael — The biopic about Michael Jackson kicked off the year with a cultural bang, pulling in audiences who wanted to relive the King of Pop's legacy on the big screen.
• The Super Mario Galaxy Movie — Illumination and Nintendo struck gold again. After the massive success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the galaxy-themed sequel proved the franchise has serious legs, crossing a billion with ease.
• Toy Story 5 — Pixar returned with an emotional rollercoaster that had fans crying in theaters. Woody, Buzz, and the gang showed they still have the magic touch nearly three decades after the original.
• The Odyssey — Christopher Nolan did what Christopher Nolan does: he made an ancient Greek epic into a massive theatrical event. Shot with IMAX cameras across real Mediterranean locations, this one was a visual spectacle that audiences couldn't resist.
• Spider-Man: Brand New Day — And then there's Spidey. Spider-Man: Brand New Day became the fastest movie of 2026 to hit the billion-dollar mark, doing it in just 19 days. At this pace, it could finish as the highest-grossing film of the entire year.

The 4 Movies That Could Still Hit $1 Billion

The blockbuster season is far from over. According to Collider, four upcoming releases have a realistic shot at joining the billion-dollar club:

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (November 20) — This prequel focuses on Haymitch Abernathy's arena days, with an absolutely stacked cast including Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning, and Jesse Plemons. Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson are also expected to return as Katniss and Peeta. No Hunger Games film has ever hit a billion — but this one has the strongest shot yet.

Dune: Part Three (December 18) — Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi saga is on a clear upward trajectory: Dune made $410 million, Dune: Part Two hit $714 million, and with Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, and Anya Taylor-Joy all at peak cultural relevance, the finale could finally crack the billion. Fans are already calling it the "next Barbenheimer" moment.

Avengers: Doomsday — Marvel's biggest team-up event of the year, bringing together the MCU's heavy hitters for what's being billed as a universe-defining confrontation. With the MCU still commanding massive global audiences, this is the one most analysts consider a sure bet.

Hexed (Disney) — Disney's late-year release rounds out the contenders. While details are still emerging, Disney's track record with original properties and its unmatched distribution muscle make this a dark horse worth watching.

Why This Matters for Moviegoers

What we're witnessing in 2026 is a massive audience comeback for theatrical releases. After years of streaming wars and pandemic uncertainty, people are showing up — and they're showing up big. Five billion-dollar films with months still to go is a stat that would have seemed impossible just three years ago.

Whether it's Nolan's artistic ambition, Marvel's superhero spectacle, or the nostalgic pull of franchises like The Hunger Games and Toy Story, the formula is clear: audiences want event movies that demand to be seen on the biggest screen possible.

So grab your popcorn. The billion-dollar race for 2026 is far from over.