AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. announced a historic performance for the 2026 Easter holiday weekend, with more than 6.0 million guests attending its AMC Theatres in the United States and ODEON Cinemas internationally from Wednesday, April 1 through Sunday, April 5. The company reported its highest-ever combined global admissions and food & beverage revenue for a five-day Easter frame in its 106-year history. The record was driven primarily by the global debut of "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie," which drew strong family attendance, alongside solid performances from other new releases and holdover films.
Key Takeaways:
- AMC and ODEON welcomed over 6.0 million moviegoers globally from April 1-5, 2026.
- The company achieved its best global revenue for a five-day Easter weekend in over a century.
- "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" led the surge with a reported global opening of approximately $372 million.
- The film’s merchandise program, featuring items like the Yoshi popcorn bucket, ranks as AMC’s second-best selling of all time.
"The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" Drives Unprecedented Family Turnout
The record-setting weekend was fueled by the highly anticipated release of "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie." The film’s broad, family-friendly appeal resulted in robust attendance, with particularly strong turnout from families and younger audiences across both AMC and ODEON locations. The movie’s media-reported global opening box office of $372 million provided the primary momentum for the exhibitor’s historic financial results.
Diverse Film Slate Sustains Box Office Momentum
Beyond the blockbuster Mario film, AMC credited a solid lineup of other titles for contributing to sustained momentum. New releases like "The Drama" and successful holdover films such as "Project Hail Mary" and "Hoppers" performed well throughout the holiday period. Company leadership emphasized that theatrical exhibition thrives on a compelling and diverse slate of films, a dynamic demonstrated by this weekend’s performance.
Merchandise Program Hits Second-Highest Grossing Rank
AMC’s themed merchandise program for "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" proved to be a major success with guests. High demand for collectibles, including the Yoshi and Luma LED popcorn buckets, propelled the program to become AMC’s second-highest grossing merchandise offering ever. It trails only the merchandise program for the AMC-distributed "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour" concert film from October 2023.
Conclusion:
AMC Entertainment’s record-breaking Easter weekend underscores a potent combination of a major franchise film release and a supportive lineup of diverse content. The performance highlights continued consumer demand for the communal theatrical experience, particularly during holiday periods. The success also demonstrates the significant ancillary revenue potential of targeted theater merchandise programs, contributing substantially to the company’s bottom line.
