5 Biggest Worldwide Opening Weekend Box Office Movies Of 2026 (So Far)

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2026 is predicted to be a huge year for movies, and these five films currently have the highest opening weekend numbers. While some movies continue to earn money over time, many make the majority of their profits during their first weekend. Ultimately, a film’s opening weekend is a strong indicator of its overall success.

Movie theaters have been facing unpredictable attendance lately, putting a lot of focus on new films in 2026. Luckily, the first half of the year has seen some big successes, and several promising blockbusters are scheduled for the summer. Films that were expected to do well are actually exceeding predictions, which suggests that overall box office numbers are starting to stabilize.

So far in 2026, the films with the biggest opening weekends haven’t been unexpected, but their success has still been impressive. The studios we typically see at the top – like Disney and Universal – are leading the box office charts. While some of these films may eventually be surpassed, a few have had such strong starts that they’re likely to remain leaders throughout the year.

It’s also interesting to look at how these movies earn their revenue. While the biggest hits of 2026 generally perform well both in the US and internationally, that hasn’t always been true. Some films earned most of their money domestically, with only limited success overseas. These five films all had huge opening weekends, but which one was the biggest earner?

5. Project Hail Mary (2026) – $141 Million

Project Hail Mary has been a major hit in 2026, earning over $140 million worldwide during its opening weekend. While it cost around $200 million to make, the film starring Ryan Gosling quickly exceeded expectations, ultimately grossing over $650 million – comfortably surpassing its $500 million break-even point.

The movie had a very successful opening weekend, earning a total of $140 million. Of that, $80 million came from the US and Canada, and $60 million from international theaters. This was enough to claim the number one spot, but it only stayed there for two weeks before The Super Mario Bros. Movie took over.

Despite being released in 2026, Project Hail Mary remains the second-highest-grossing film of the year, though it’s uncertain if it will stay that way. Even if it doesn’t, it’s almost guaranteed to finish among the top ten films of the year, which is great news for original movies that aren’t part of an existing series. It shows they can still succeed with the right approach.

4. Pegasus 3 (2026) – $160 Million

While most of the films on this list are well-known in the United States, the Chinese film Pegasus 3 stands out. This comedy sequel had the fourth-highest opening weekend of 2026, earning $160 million globally. So far, it’s grossed almost $650 million worldwide and has also received positive reviews.

Despite being a global release, Pegasus 3 earned the vast majority of its initial revenue in China – around $150 million. The rest of the world, including the United States, contributed only about $10 million, with the U.S. box office bringing in less than $1 million during its opening weekend.

Pegasus 3 is poised for major success and is expected to be one of the biggest box office hits of 2026. Remarkably, this Chinese sports film is mirroring the success of Project Hail Mary, even though it doesn’t have the benefit of a large American audience.

3. Michael (2026) – $217 Million

Biographical films, or biopics, are often big hits or complete failures, but the recent Michael Jackson biopic has proven to be a major success. It earned an impressive $217 million globally during its opening weekend. With $39 million earned on its first day, it broke records for 2026 and became the highest-grossing opening weekend ever for a biopic, surpassing Oppenheimer.

The film Michael currently has the third-highest opening weekend earnings of 2026, largely thanks to strong ticket sales within the United States. It earned $97 million domestically upon release, and while international markets have since become equally important, the film has already grossed an impressive $577 million worldwide over three weekends, with the majority of that revenue coming from outside the US. Ultimately, Michael is expected to earn the bulk of its profits from international audiences.

The movie’s start was strong, but it’s hard to predict how well it will ultimately do at the box office this year. While ticket sales in the US have been declining each week, interest from international audiences remains high and is even increasing. It’s quite likely that Michael could end up earning more overall than Pegasus 3 and Project Hail Mary.

2. The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026) – $233 Million

After a 20-year wait, The Devil Wears Prada 2 drew huge crowds to theaters when it premiered on May 1st. Fueled by fans’ fond memories, the sequel quickly became one of the top-performing films, earning an impressive $233 million during its opening weekend. Considering its $100 million production cost, the movie likely turned a profit within just a few days of release.

The sequel opened to a fantastic $76 million in the US, significantly exceeding the opening weekend performance of the first film. However, it earned even more – over $150 million – from international audiences. No matter how you look at it, the film had a remarkably successful opening weekend.

The movie is currently fifth among the year’s highest-grossing films, and it earned a lot more money during its second weekend in theaters. The Mother’s Day holiday helped keep its numbers strong, but it’s still too early to say how well it will ultimately perform. It’s already made over $400 million, and that total will likely increase before it leaves theaters.

1. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) – $372 Million

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is breaking box office records and is currently the highest-grossing film of the year. It earned an impressive $372 million during its opening weekend – over $100 million more than any other movie released so far in 2026.

While still a big success, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie earned less money than the first Super Mario film. The new movie has brought in $941 million so far, but that’s lower than the original’s impressive $1.3 billion. The first film’s earnings were exceptional, placing it among the highest-grossing movies of all time. The original film opened with $375 million in 2023.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is currently far ahead of all other films in theaters. While it’s the top movie now, several big releases expected in the coming months could challenge its position. Regardless, the film demonstrates that movies based on well-known brands are still a reliable way to earn a lot of money in theaters.

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2026-05-12 00:32