The Australian box office grew to $25.88 million over the Easter long weekend, the second biggest result of the decade, up 52% on 2025.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, released the Wednesday before Easter, drove 446,000 admissions and $9.44 million at the box office across the long weekend to Sunday.
Families were the primary demographic, with family viewings representing 57% of the total box office across The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, The Magic Far Away Tree, Hoppers and GOAT.
"The value of family audiences is unmatched, particularly during periods like Easter when families are actively looking for ways to spend time together," said Guy Burbidge, managing director of Val Morgan Cinema.
"In our recent family study, we found that cinema remains one of the last places where families truly come together to connect. What makes that moment so powerful for brands is the shared nature of the experience, the talkability, the connection and the memories created together, all of which drive tangible commercial impact for brands."
2026 has already been a strong year for Australian cinema, with total admissions up 16% on 2025, delivering the biggest Q1 box office performance since 2020.
"The box office is off to its strongest start we've seen in years, and we see this momentum continuing throughout 2026, backed by a diverse and consistent release slate of both original content and highly successful franchises," said Burbidge.
"In the next few months, we have titles like Michael, The Devil Wears Prada 2, The Mandalorian and Grogu, Toy Story 5, Minions & Monsters, Supergirl, Moana, The Odyssey, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day releasing. There's never been a better time for brands to be part of cinema and align with this calibre of content."
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