By July 2026, the global box office has already produced two $1 billion hits, a historic biopic, and a breakout horror title that came out of nowhere. Box Office Mojo’s worldwide tracker shows The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Michael neck and neck at the top, while Rotten Tomatoes’ midyear critics list is led by titles most audiences have never heard of. Here is the dual view: what earned the most money, and what earned the best reviews.
Top grossing films of 2026 so far
Two films have crossed $1 billion worldwide: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie finished its run at roughly $1.011 billion, making it the first video game film franchise with two $1 billion entries. Michael came within $10 million of that mark, earning just over $1.01 billion and becoming the highest grossing biopic of all time, surpassing Oppenheimer.
The rest of the top 10 is a mix of franchise titles and surprise hits. Toy Story 5 is approaching $1 billion on its own. The Devil Wears Prada 2 proved that fashion comedy can still draw globally. Project Hail Mary and Pegasus 3 show that original IP and Chinese franchise film can both compete at the top.
| Rank | Film | Worldwide gross | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | $1,011,157,101 | Box Office Mojo |
| 2 | Michael | $1,010,238,388 | Wikipedia |
| 3 | Toy Story 5 | $966,214,658 | Box Office Mojo |
| 4 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | $690,301,651 | The Numbers |
| 5 | Project Hail Mary | $684,117,347 | Box Office Mojo |
| 6 | Pegasus 3 | $656,459,523 | Wikipedia |
| 7 | Obsession | $447,862,498 | The Numbers |
| 8 | Hoppers | $389,547,783 | Box Office Mojo |
| 9 | Backrooms | $387,700,748 | The Numbers |
| 10 | Minions & Monsters | $368,050,431 | Box Office Mojo |
Best reviewed films of 2026 so far
Rotten Tomatoes’ midyear critics ranking and Metacritic’s best-of-2026 gallery tell a different story. The highest rated wide releases include:
- Obsession – Breakout horror hit with 83 Metascore, made for $750,000 and now the highest grossing low budget film of all time.
- Pillion – 85 Metascore, Cannes debut drama.
- Horsegirls – 95% Rotten Tomatoes coming of age film.
- Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma – 100% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.
- The Invite – 96% Rotten Tomatoes.
The disconnect
There is a noticeable gap between what audiences are buying and what critics are praising. The top grossing films are mostly family friendly franchise titles. The top reviewed films are mostly small budget dramas and horror. Obsession is the exception: it is both a critical darling and a commercial blockbuster, which is why it has set multiple box office records.
Philippine cinemas have carried most of the top 10 titles. SM Cinema and Ayala Malls Cinemas opened The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Michael, Toy Story 5, and Obsession within days of their US dates. Local box office tracking on ClickTheCity confirms that family and horror titles perform strongest in the PH market.
What to watch
If you want the biggest spectacle: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie or Toy Story 5. If you want the best critical pick: Obsession or Pillion. If you want the most surprising box office story: Michael, which became the highest grossing biopic ever made without a single superhero or franchise character.
The second half of 2026 will likely add Avengers Doomsday, Dune Part Three, and Spider-Man Brand New Day to the top 10. Watch for those from December onward.
