With the addition of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, four movies in 2026 have earned $1B+ at the box office globally, the most in one year since the Covid pandemic (Sarah Whitten/CNBC)

Powered by franchises like 'Spider-Man' and 'Avengers', originals like 'Obsession', and old-school epics like 'The Odyssey', 2026 is firmly set to become the highest grossing year since the pandemic. But comparatively lower theater attendance still remains a challenge

With the addition of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, four movies in 2026 have earned $1B+ at the box office globally, the most in one year since the Covid pandemic (Sarah Whitten/CNBC)

Sarah Whitten / CNBC: With the addition of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, four movies in 2026 have earned $1B+ at the box office globally, the most in one year since the Covid pandemic  —  Billion-dollar films are back in Hollywood.  —  The theatrical industry welcomed its fourth billion-dollar film of 2026 this week …