The UK-Ireland box office has recorded its highest-grossing summer of all time, with year-to-date takings now up on the last full pre-pandemic y
The UK-Ireland box office has recorded its highest-grossing summer of all time, with year-to-date takings now up on the last full pre-pandemic year of 2019.
The year-to-date has reached £902.8m, up 0.3% on the £900.4m at the same stage in 2019. It is also up 23% on the same stage in 2025 and up 33% on 2024.
The 18-week summer period from May 1 to September 3 brought in £527.8m, up 7% on the £491.9m from summer 2019.
| Rank | Film (origin) | Distributor | Release date | 7/8/26-3/9/26 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day (US) | Sony | 31/7/26 | £41.6m | £94.7m |
| 2 | The Odyssey (US) |
Universal | 17/7/26 | £25m | £81.3m |
| 3 | The End Of Oak Street (US) |
Warner Bros | 14/8/26 | £6.5m | £6.5m |
| 4 | Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie (US-Can) | Paramount | 7/8/26 | £5.8m | £5.8m |
| 5 | Insidious: Out Of The Further (US) |
Sony | 21/8/26 | £5.7m | £5.7m |
| 6 | Toy Story 5 (US) |
Disney | 19/6/28 | £4.6m | £57.8m |
| 7 | Minions & Monsters (US) |
Universal | 3/7/26 | £3.9m | £19.4m |
| 8 | Moana (US) | Disney | 10/7/26 | £2.9m | £14.3m |
| 9 | Tony (US) | A24 | 14/8/26 | £1.7m | £1.7m |
| 10 | The Dog Stars (US) | Disney | 28/8/26 | £1.6m | £1.6m |
August was “an exceptionally strong month”, according to data firm Rentrak, which provided the quoted data. Takings were up 67% compared to the same period last year; the month brought in £119.2m, up from the £71.3m in August 2025.
Two July releases, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey, contributed 56% of the month’s total box office, dwarfing the leading titles from August 2025 (Weapons and Freakier Friday).
Sony’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day led the month with £41.6m. It held the top spot for five consecutive weekends, the longest such run since Wonka in December 2023. It is now the seventh-highest-grossing film of all time with £94.7m, and still has a good chance of catching 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home (£97.3m) to lead the franchise.
Universal’s The Odyssey took an excellent £25m in August, reaching £81.3m by the end of the month as the 12th-highest-grossing release in the territory.
The highest-grossing up-to-date title was Warner Bros’ sci-fi The End Of Oak Street with £6.5m in the month, having opened to £2.1m in mid-August.
Further up-to-date August titles in the top 10 were Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie (Paramount), Insidious: Out Of The Further (Sony), Tony (A24) and The Dog Stars (Disney).
All 10 titles were US productions, with Paw Patrol co-produced with Canada.
| Rank | Film (origin) | Distributor | Release date | 2026 gross | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day (US) | Sony | 31/7/26 | £94.7m | £94.7m |
| 2 | The Odyssey (US) |
Universal | 17/7/26 | £81.3m | £81.3m |
| 3 | Toy Story 5 (US) | Disney | 19/6/26 | £57.8m | £57.8m |
| 4 | Michael (US) | Universal | 24/4/26 | £53.2m | £53.2m |
| 5 | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (US) | Universal | 3/4/26 | £38.6m | £38.6m |
| 6 | Project Hail Mary (US) | Sony | 20/3/26 | £34.7m | £34.7m |
| 7 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 (US) |
Disney | 1/5/26 | £34.3m | £34.3m |
| 8 | Wuthering Heights (US) | Warner Bros | 13/2/26 | £25.3m | £25.3m |
| 9 | The Housemaid (US) |
Lionsgate | 26/12/25 | £23.5m | £32.2m |
| 10 | Obsession (US) | Universal | 15/5/26 | £19.9m | £19.9m |
Spider-Man and The Odyssey are well ahead on the year to date top 10, with Disney’s Toy Story 5 moving into third place with £57.8m to date. All 10 year to date titles are US films, with Lionsgate’s The Housemaid (£23.5m in 2026) hanging on as the sole 2025 release.
The first weekend of September sees a broad range of genres on offer, with films including The Death Of Robin Hood (True Brit) and re-releases of Terminator 2: Judgement Day (Studiocanal) and The Hunger Games franchise (Lionsgate). Oasis documentary Don’t Look Back In Anger starts from September 9; while later in the month releases include Shaun The Sheep: The Beast Of Mossy Bottom (Studiocanal) in previews on September 12 and 13 then opening on the 18th. Universal’s Sense And Sensibility starring Daisy Edgar-Jones rounds out the month, alongside Neon’s Cannes title Hope.
