Australian cinemas have recorded their strongest summer period in years, with blockbuster releases driving a double-digit surge in attendance.
A total of 6.3 million admissions from December 19 to January 11 marked a +12% increase compared to the previous year.
Youth admissions rose, with P14–24 up +33% and P18–39 up +20%, while affluent New Economic Order recorded +16% growth.
Avatar: Fire & Ash delivered more than 2.1 million admissions in Australia. At the global box office, the film has surpassed $1.2 billion.
Zootopia 2 has also crossed the $1 billion mark globally and is the second biggest film of the summer in Australia, with 2 million admissions since it released on November 27.
Wicked: For Good delivered 1.5 million admissions to date.
The Housemaid, starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, has emerged with 688,000 admissions and $13.5 million at the box office.
Several other releases included Anaconda, The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants and Song Sung Blue.
Culturally and linguistically diverse audiences saw admissions surge +102% YoY, driven by the release of Dhurandhar, which delivered 125,000 admissions.
“It’s been another big summer at the box office, driven by diversity across the board, setting the stage for what will be a huge year in cinema across 2026,” said Val Morgan Cinema managing director, Guy Burbidge.
“The quality and depth of the content ahead is next level, with a mix of original storytelling and globally recognised IP set to attract audiences across every key demographic.
“We’re expecting one of the biggest family slates on record, led by titles including The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Toy Story 5, Minions 3, and Moana. Alongside this sits a lineup of major, globally loved franchises such as The Devil Wears Prada 2, The Mandalorian & Grogu, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Dune: Part Three, Avengers: Doomsday and Jumanji 3.
“Original content also plays a significant part next year, with a lineup of highly anticipated releases including Wuthering Heights, Project Hail Mary, The Odyssey, Verity and Michael.
“There’s an abundance of opportunities for brands, no matter the audience they’re looking to target, and with a channel as high-quality as the content it showcases, cinema delivers attention and impact that few other mediums can match.”
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.