Deadline (12/7/25) D’Alessandro, Anthony

The domestic box office has surpassed $8 billion for the third time since the COVID-19 pandemic, signaling continued recovery for the theatrical industry, according to Comscore. The milestone was reached largely due to the strong overperformance of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, which opened to $63 million — well above projections — and set a post-Thanksgiving record for the traditionally slow period. Year-to-date domestic box office revenue is currently tracking 1% ahead of the same point in 2024, with several high-profile releases poised to influence whether total revenue approaches $9 billion by year’s end. Among the most anticipated is Avatar: Fire and Ash, opening Dec. 19, alongside a packed holiday slate that includes titles from Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, Focus Features and A24. With a diverse mix of major studio and independent releases arriving in December, industry analysts note that theaters are positioned for a competitive and potentially pivotal finish to the year.

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