Mother's Day records biggest box office

By AdNews | 12 May 2026
 

Val Morgan.

Cinemas generated $21.2 million and attracted 1 million admissions, delivering Australia's biggest Mother’s Day box office result recorded.

Driving the result was The Devil Wears Prada 2, which delivered one-third of the total weekend box office admissions.

In just two weeks, The Devil Wears Prada 2 has delivered more than 1 million admissions, $25.4 million at the box office and has become the eighth biggest comedy of all time.

Biopic Michael also continued to draw audiences, alongside a suite of releases including Mortal Kombat II, Sheep Detectives, and Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard And Soft: The Tour, which delivered the fifth-biggest opening ever for a documentary in Australia.

“The weekend results reinforce just how strong cinemagoing remains in Australia, particularly for families and groups looking to spend time together and share an experience outside the home," said Val Morgan Cinema managing director, Guy Burbidge.

"It also reflects the findings from our Famous for Families research, highlighting the role cinema continues to play in bringing families together, as well as the commercial gains for brands in being part of that shared experience.”

Burbidge said that the box office is expected to continue strengthening over the coming months, with a slate packed with multi-generational, well-loved IP and original content.

“There’s a lot for both audiences and brands to look forward to as we head into the second half of the year, particularly over the winter school holidays, with titles like Toy Story 5, Minions & Monsters and Moana all landing in cinemas across that key holiday period.

"Other highly anticipated titles like The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, releasing in July, continue to build on that momentum and will set Cinema up for a record-breaking 2026, driven by a release schedule that delivers depth, quality, and cultural moments that brands should be looking to align with.”

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