Los Angeles, California (UNA) :

The global movie industry showed growth in 2025, with blockbuster films such as Avatar: Fire and Ash and Zootopia 2 drawing large audiences and lifting annual box office revenue. Despite this, overall earnings still fell short of the levels seen before the pandemic.

Total revenue by the end of the year reached over $8 billion, a modest increase from 2024, but below the pre-COVID mark of more than $10 billion. While high-grossing releases led the box office, cumulative ticket sales were not enough to fully recover historic audience numbers.

Animated features and franchise films contributed significantly to holiday and weekend box office performance. However, many theaters, particularly in North America, reported attendance below expectations, showing that a few hits alone cannot restore the industry to its peak.

For everyday moviegoers, this trend means theaters continue to coexist with streaming platforms. Studios are exploring varied release strategies and promotions to bring audiences back to cinemas, ensuring viewers have diverse choices whether they watch films in theaters or online.