Q1 of 2026 offered a mixed, yet encouraging picture for the theatrical marketplace with strong opening weekend performances from Paramount’s Scream 7 (a franchise record at $63.6M) and Amazon MGM’s Project Hail Mary (at $80.5M, it became the biggest original, non-franchise opening since 2023’s Oppenheimer).
The potential for a strong Q2 lies ahead in the April corridor, starting with the massive expectations for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which is poised for similar success to 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie ($146.3M opening, $574.9M global). Star-driven plays like The Drama and You, Me, & Tuscany will target audiences seeking lighter counterprogramming this month. Blumhouse looks to regain momentum with Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, and Lionsgate positions Michael as a global event biopic to bookend the month.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Universal/Illumination
April 1
The moment exhibitors have been waiting for all year arrives when The Super Mario Galaxy Movie launches the month of April, expanding the animated universe beyond the Mushroom Kingdom and into a galaxy-spanning adventure. Bowser escalates his ambitions from conquest to cosmic domination, sending Mario across environments that mirror the beloved Super Mario Galaxy source material. The early April launch frame has already proven prime real estate for family blockbusters, given the Spring Break timeframe. With heightened visuals, Galaxy is poised to lead premium formats as well. With expanded lore and the introduction of fan-favorite characters like Rosalina, Galaxy has a clear path to top its predecessor’s record-setting debut and emerge as one of the year’s biggest global hits.
The Drama | A24
April 3
A24’s star-driven dark comedy romance The Drama, pairs Zendaya and Robert Pattinson in an anti-romcom centering on two creatives whose chance meeting sparks a turbulent, on-again-off-again relationship. At a time where theatrical rom-coms have struggled to generate consistent breakout success, A24’s own Materialists is a prime recent example of the genre finding a theatrical foothold, with a $11.3M opening legging out to $36.5M domestic. Looking further back, other R-rated titles, like Anyone But You, also demonstrated the power of word-of-mouth in driving long-term playability with a $6M opening that eventually led to an $88.3M take.
You, Me & Tuscany | Universal
April 10
Romance heads abroad with You, Me, & Tuscany, a sun-drenched romantic comedy pairing Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page in a classic mistaken-identity setup. Bailey stars as a free-spirited traveler who impulsively heads to an acquaintance’s vacant villa in Italy (unbeknownst to him.) When his family arrives unexpectedly, she finds herself posing as his fiancée. Like The Drama, You, Me, & Tuscany faces the same theatrical rom-com challenges, particularly in the PG-13 space. With Universal’s marketing muscle, it still has potential as a counterprogrammer, especially in the mid-April corridor that has historically supported female-skewing comedies.
Lee Cronin’s The Mummy | Warner Bros.
April 17
Blumhouse continues the classic monster reimaging it began six years ago with The Invisible Man in Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, a modern-day retooling that leans into horror-first sensibilities. Directed by Lee Cronin following the success of Evil Dead Rise ($67.2M domestic, $147.1M global), the film is expected to abandon the action-adventure tone of earlier iterations in favor of something more unsettling. An ancient force is unearthed in the present day, unleashing a curse that a family unwittingly brings home. Evil Dead Rise opened to $24.5M, and though The Mummy is currently tracking below that level, it has the potential to become a serviceable performer.
Michael | Lionsgate
April 24
Antoine Fuqua directs and Graham King (Bohemian Rhapsody) produces the sweeping biopic of Michael Jackson. Lionsgate is positioning Michael as a major theatrical event which will chart the rise of one of the most influential entertainers in history. The film is expected to trace Jackson’s journey from child stardom to global icon, with large-scale recreations of Michael’s defining performances. Its teaser generated a record 116.2M global views in its first 24 hours, marking the biggest trailer debut in Lionsgate history and the most-viewed ever for a music biopic. Music biopics have proven to be reliable performers when they connect—particularly those anchored by iconic catalogs.
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