May 2026 marks the first time in history that the domestic box office surpassed one billion dollars in a single month without a Marvel movie leading the charge. According to The Wrap, U.S. and Canadian theaters generated approximately $1.06 billion in revenue during May, making it only the ninth time in history the monthly domestic total has cleared that threshold.
The achievement is notable for what was missing. Every previous billion-dollar May at the domestic box office included at least one Marvel film, whether part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe or not. The first occurred in 2009, driven in part by X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Thor pushed May past the mark in 2011. Iron Man 3 did it in 2013. The milestone was reached in 2012, 2015, 2018, and 2019 as well, each of those years featuring an Avengers release. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and X-Men: Days of Future Past combined to clear it in 2014.
This year, Marvel was absent from the May calendar entirely. Avengers: Doomsday had originally been slated for the familiar late April and early May window that helped several predecessors reach box office dominance. After Disney shifted that film to December, Lionsgate moved in with Michael, a biographical film that became May's top earner with $210 million domestically.
Disney still maintained a presence in the early summer lineup. The Devil Wears Prada 2, released through 20th Century, generated $209 million domestically during May. The Mandalorian and Grogu contributed $137 million, though the film suffered the largest second-weekend drop ever for a movie that debuted over Memorial Day weekend.
The movies that pushed May past one billion dollars were the unexpected hits. Obsession turned a $17.1 million opening weekend into a domestic total of $104.7 million, driven by intense word-of-mouth. The film is on track to become one of the most profitable movies ever made, having cost relatively little against its returns. A24's Backrooms delivered a massive debut and has already become the studio's biggest opening ever, adding $117 million to the monthly total.
The broader 2026 box office picture has been shaped by non-franchise films finding audiences. Michael has earned $857 million globally. Project Hail Mary has reached $677 million. Hoppers stands at $434 million, and a new adaptation of Wuthering Heights has crossed $246 million. Several of those films rank among the ten highest-grossing of the year so far, according to Screen Rant.
Final figures for May are still being tallied, with Box Office Mojo's current estimate placing the total at approximately $1.06 billion. The domestic box office had not cleared one billion dollars in May since before the COVID-19 pandemic shut theaters down in 2020.
