Today at the Marché du Film, the European Audiovisual Observatory presented the FOCUS 2026 report which analyzes the most significant global box office trends in 2025.
According to the report, the global cinematographic landscape is undergoing an unprecedented paradigm shift, while the industry’s center of gravity is relentlessly shifting toward the East. Furthermore, this study confirms that the past year concluded with a clear signal for the future of cinema.
In fact, despite an overall 5% growth in global box office (GBO) earnings—reaching an estimated total of €29.6 billion—the global market remains 30% below pre-pandemic averages. However, the real headline lies elsewhere: for the first time in history, the world box office throne does not belong to Hollywood.
The Historic Breakthrough of Ne Zha 2
Ultimately, 2025 will be remembered as the year the U.S. monopoly faltered. Indeed, the Chinese animated feature Ne Zha 2 has rewritten the rules of the game, becoming the first title not produced by an American studio to top the global charts, consequently generating an astronomical gross of nearly €1.8 billion.
At the same time, while American giants saw their global market share slide from 63% in 2019 to 52%, Asian productions reached a significant market penetration of 36%. As a result, in markets such as India, Japan, and China, local production is now dominant, with market shares reaching as high as 90%.
Europe Between Light and Shadow: France Struggles, Italy Holds Firm
While Asia surges (+10% in attendance), Europe is losing momentum. In 2025, theaters across the Old Continent recorded a 5% decline, dropping to 795 million tickets sold. This downturn was largely driven by a slowdown in the French market and a weaker-than-expected performance from American blockbusters.
Nevertheless, European creativity is showing unexpected resilience:
- Market Share: European films captured 31.4% of total admissions, a figure well above historical averages.
- Record Production: A total of 2,522 films were produced in Europe (+20 compared to 2024), with Spain confirming its status as the continent’s “powerhouse” with 423 titles, followed by Italy (357).
- The Italian Case: Within a challenging European context, Italy shines for its national identity. Despite a slight dip in total admissions (72.3 million), Italian cinema saw its market share soar to 33.3%, signaling an increasingly strong bond between local audiences and homegrown stories.
European Box Office Champions
The general rankings in Europe were led by major family titles and established franchises:
- Minecraft (US): 29 million viewers.
- Lilo & Stitch (US): 28.3 million.
- Zootopia 2 (US): 26.7 million.
Among European productions (including those with U.S. inward investment), the podium features the timeless Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, followed by Paddington in Peru and the German comedy Das Kanu des Manitu.
The FOCUS 2026 report outlines an industry in a state of profound mutation. While Hollywood remains the primary partner (covering 62% of the European market), the diversity of local productions and the explosion of Asian markets suggest that the future of the big screen will be increasingly less centralized and more multipolar.
For additional information visit European Audiovisual Observatory
