The post–Presidents Day weekend usually brings a slowdown at the domestic box office — but this year offered a small but welcome surprise. U.S./Canada ticket sales came in just over $79 million, up 2% from the same frame last year.
Even better? The 2026 year-to-date total now stands at $1.05 billion, running 7% ahead of 2025. After a shaky March last year, this momentum feels meaningful.
And leading the charge this weekend was an animated underdog — literally.
‘GOAT’ Climbs to No. 1
GOAT from Sony Pictures Animation narrowly claimed the top spot in its second weekend with $17 million, dipping 38% and pushing its domestic total to $58.3 million.
The film had been neck-and-neck with Warner Bros/MRC’s Wuthering Heights, but stronger Saturday matinees gave the animated title the edge.
Globally, “GOAT” has crossed $102.3 million, with $44 million coming from overseas markets — a solid showing for an original animated property in a crowded field.
‘Wuthering Heights’ Finds Its Audience Worldwide
While it slipped to second place domestically with $14.2 million (-57%), “Wuthering Heights” is proving stronger internationally.
The Emerald Fennell-directed adaptation has now reached $151.7 million worldwide, including a $40.5 million global weekend. IMAX contributed nearly $1 million of that frame alone.
After opening close to $46 million in its first week, the film’s 10-day domestic total now stands at $60 million — respectable for a moody, R-rated period drama that many initially feared would struggle.
Faith-Based Sequel Opens Softly
I Can Only Imagine 2 debuted to $8 million, landing at the lower end of expectations despite an A+ CinemaScore — matching the grade of its 2018 predecessor.
The original film legged out to $83.4 million domestic, but this sequel appears to be facing a narrower turnout. Faith-based audiences skewed older (51% over 55), with women over 25 making up 57% of ticket buyers.
The Lionsgate/Kingdom Story release is playing strongest in the South and Midwest, with Pennsylvania’s Penn Cinema 14 emerging as the top-grossing location.
Glen Powell’s Dark Comedy Stumbles
A24’s release of StudioCanal’s How to Make a Killing, starring Glen Powell, opened to $3.56 million from 1,625 theaters.
Despite Powell’s rising star power, the film struggled with mixed word-of-mouth. Rotten Tomatoes audience scores sit higher than critics’, but turnout was muted.
Industry chatter suggests early story issues and limited marketing spend may have dampened its launch. A24 reportedly acquired U.S. rights early for under $5 million. PVOD may be where it finds a second life.
‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’ Sings Loud in IMAX
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, directed by Baz Luhrmann and distributed by NEON, surprised with a $3.25 million debut in just 325 theaters — boasting a strong $10K per-theater average.
IMAX screens drove much of the success, with standout numbers in Memphis, Knoxville, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. The documentary holds an impressive 95% critics score and 99% audience score.
Viva, indeed.
Horror Title Fades Fast
20th Century Studios’ Psycho Killer debuted outside the top ten with $1.6 million.
Critical reception was brutal, including a 0% Rotten Tomatoes critics score, and PostTrak showed weak audience recommendation numbers. The film simply failed to connect — despite modest preview earnings.
China’s Box Office Is Booming
While North America cooled post-holiday, China’s New Year holiday frame exploded. The top five films have collectively earned $725.9 million since Tuesday, led by the racing hit Pegasus 3 at $387.6 million.
Other major performers include Zhang Yimou’s spy thriller Scare Out and fantasy epic Blades of the Guardians. The surge underscores how global momentum is increasingly vital to overall industry health.
Final Weekend Top 10 (Domestic)
- GOAT — $17M (Total: $58.3M)
- Wuthering Heights — $14.2M (Total: $60M)
- I Can Only Imagine 2 — $8M
- Crime 101 — $5.77M (Total: $24.7M)
- Send Help — $4.5M (Total: $55.5M)
- How to Make a Killing — $3.56M
- EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert — $3.25M
- Solo Mio — $2.5M (Total: $21.7M)
- Zootopia 2 — $2.3M (Total: $423.9M)
- Avatar: Fire and Ash — $1.8M (Total: $399.4M)
Looking Ahead
March appears stronger than last year’s slate, with Disney/Pixar’s Hoppers, Amazon MGM’s Project Hail Mary, Searchlight’s Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, and New Line’s They Will Kill You lined up.
And looming over everything is The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, set to hit in early April — a title many expect to inject serious cash into the spring box office.
Final Words
The box office isn’t blazing — but it’s far from lifeless.
With 2026 pacing ahead of last year and international markets surging, the industry seems steadier than headlines suggest. “GOAT” may have won the weekend, but the bigger story is stability.
After last year’s anxiety about declining attendance, that 2% bump feels like a quiet but important victory.
