Hollywood's Indian box office has seen record-breaking growth in 2026, driven by tentpole hits like Spider-Man and The Odyssey. With December releases including Avengers: Doomsday, King, and Dune 3, the market is set for a blockbuster finale, showcasing the audience's shift toward premium cinema experiences and consistent theatrical releases post-pandemic.
Seven months was all it took for Hollywood to blow past its full-year 2025 Indian box-office haul. And the market is only going to explode now with some of the biggest titles gearing up for release between November and December.
Driven by stable studio slates, clear theatrical windows, and rising demand for premium screen formats, Hollywood’s domestic run has pivoted from post-pandemic recovery to an unprecedented record-setting surge at the Indian box office.
According to tracking data from Ormax Media, international titles collected a cumulative ₹1,424 crore in gross earnings between January and July 2026, already outpacing the full 12-month total of over ₹1,400 crore generated across 2025.
"We have to recognise that this is the first full year without any trouble in the Hollywood industry, following a spate of strikes," says Kamal Gianchandani, CEO of PVR INOX Pictures Limited and Chief Business Planning & Strategy at PVR INOX Limited.
"Before that, studios were experimenting a lot with direct-to-streaming releases. All of that is behind us."
Driven by tentpole hits like Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, the year is currently on track to shatter the all-time calendar-year record for international cinema in India, previously established in 2019 at ₹1,595 crore.
In an interview with THR India, Gianchandani breaks down the standout year for Hollywood titles and previews what lies ahead in December, when major tentpoles like Avengers: Doomsday, Jumanji 3, and Dune: Part Three prepare to arive at the Indian box office alongside home-grown heavyweight Shah Rukh Khan’s King.
Looking at the Hollywood film space in India, Ormax data shows cumulative collections crossing ₹1,424 crore between January and July, already overtaking last year's total box office tally. What is your assessment of Hollywood’s run this year?
The numbers speak for themselves. The momentum is very strong, and the uptick compared to last year is phenomenal. We also have to recognise that this is the first full year without any trouble in the Hollywood industry, following a spate of strikes. Before that, studios were experimenting a lot with direct-to-streaming releases. All of that is behind us, and studios are releasing films of all sizes regularly and consistently.
What we are seeing is consistent performance from films that are doing well. Compared to last year, there is a big jump in box office and admissions. It is also coinciding with streaming fatigue; people clearly want to go out and entertain themselves with friends and family, which is reflecting in the numbers.
What fundamentally sets this resurgence apart though? Beyond massive tentpoles like Spider-Man, which crossed the ₹500 crore mark, original titles like The Odyssey, Obsession, Project Hail Mary, and several horror features have also broken out. Is there a clear pattern?
Yes. Consistent releases, proper marketing, and no uncertainty about whether a film will be available on a streaming platform quickly. All of these factors — clear communication from studios that a film is coming out exclusively in theaters, along with good quality content — are driving this. Most importantly, streaming fatigue plays a big role. Post-COVID has been a long transition, but people have returned to default behaviour: they want to entertain themselves with brand-new films in theaters.
Did the box-office performance of the latest Spider-Man surprise you, given the ongoing industry conversation around superhero fatigue?
Yes, definitely. We were expecting it to be big, but it turned out to be way bigger than anticipated.
There was a big gap between the last Spider-Man and this one. We also saw a similar trend with Avengers: Endgame — its advance bookings for re-release tracked better than many brand-new films. These franchises remain intact because the IPs are very strong and have a huge fan following. While some argued there was fatigue, the extended gap between editions allowed anticipation to build, resulting in these big numbers.
At the same time, films like Obsession, Michael, Backroom, and The Odyssey are all original films. The audience for international cinema in India has always been strong. People were previously confused by release shifts due to the strikes. As soon as those issues were resolved, audiences returned in large numbers.
Looking at original features like The Odyssey, alongside titles like Obsession, Project Hail Mary, and Michael — which consistently landed in the ₹50 crore to ₹100 crore bracket — how do you view this tier of performance?
It is great for business. The market was always there, and people are receptive to original films. The notion that audiences will only come out for established franchises and IPs is incorrect. People want to experiment with all sorts of films, provided you present great material in terms of trailers, packaging, and underlying content. When you give audiences strong trailers and key art, they show up to support the films, not just in India, but across global markets.
How do localised dubbed versions — Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu —contribute to the overall box office performance at PVR INOX compared to original-language prints?
It depends on the movie. For massive event titles like Spider-Man or Avengers: Doomsday, the contribution from dubbed versions in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu is higher than the original English version nationwide.
However, for PVR INOX specifically, the original English versions continue to drive higher admissions overall. That comes down to the nature of our cinema locations, which sit in key urban hubs, and the fact that we have cultivated an audience for foreign-language releases over many years. So while titles like The Odyssey, Obsession, and Michael are driven almost entirely by their original English versions, dubbed formats provide a massive boost for broader event titles.
We regularly see premium format shows for major Hollywood titles selling out early morning and midnight screenings even at higher prices. Are Indian audiences demonstrating a shift toward paying more for premium cinema experiences?
There is a clear pattern. People are preferring premium-ised experiences, not just regarding visual formats, but also in terms of Food & Beverage (F&B). We are seeing a notable uptick in F&B spend because when audiences step out, they want a complete, high-quality experience.
There is a lot of day-to-day stress, and people are looking for escapism —to be transported to another world — and there is no better medium for that than the theatrical experience.
What does the upcoming quarter look like for Hollywood theatrical releases in India?
The next three to six months are looking very strong... stronger than the first half of the financial year!
But with December packed with major releases stacked together —including Dune 3, Avengers: Doomsday, Jumanji, alongside major Indian tentpoles like King — are you anticipating showcase allocation challenges?
It's going to be a good problem to have. We have very experienced programmers; this is what we do day in, day out. We have enough and more capacity, so I don't think there will be any problem. December is going to be humongous for the film business!