The exhibition sector just crossed a threshold it has been trying to reach since the pandemic. Cinemark reported $1.09 billion in total revenue for the second quarter of 2026, the first time the chain has exceeded a billion dollars in a single quarter. Revenue rose 15.5 percent year-over-year from $940.5 million in Q2 2025.
Admissions came in at a record $540 million, up from $467.1 million a year earlier. Concession revenue hit $433.3 million, also a quarterly record. Net income was $140.8 million, or $1.20 per share, compared with $94.7 million and $0.81 per share in Q2 2025. Adjusted EBITDA rose to $294 million from $232.2 million.
The quarter was driven by a combination of franchise sequels and breakout originals. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Michael, Toy Story 5, Obsession, and Backrooms all contributed to attendance gains. CEO Sean Gamble credited both his team and the studios in a statement: "We commend our sensational team for their outstanding execution, and we applaud our studio partners for delivering such a fulsome and compelling slate of films that meaningfully connected with audiences throughout the quarter."
Cinemark was not alone in strong results. Marcus Theatres, the fourth-largest exhibition chain, reported $150.6 million in revenue for the quarter, up 14 percent year-over-year, with Toy Story 5 driving the highest June opening weekend in the chain's history.
Gamble also noted a generational shift: viewers under 25 are increasingly treating theatrical as a distinct social experience rather than a streaming substitute. That pattern, if it holds into fall, represents the most structural version of the recovery the industry has been building toward.
