A24 Surpasses Warner Bros. and Paramount at the Summer Box Office

Summer has traditionally been dominated by the largest studios, with franchise sequels, superhero films, and family animations filling the calendar while smaller distributors scramble for the leftovers. This longstanding trend felt like an industry rule until now.

In 2026, however, the summer box office defied expectations. Audiences flocked to theaters for a diverse array of films, from grand blockbusters to low-budget horror sensations. The season set a domestic record, bolstered by hits like ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ and ‘The Odyssey,’ which collectively contributed over $1.5 billion to the total.

A surprising highlight from the final numbers shows A24 finishing the summer with a larger share of the domestic market than both Warner Bros. and Paramount, as reported by Variety, a fact highlighted by DiscussingFilm on X. According to data from The Hollywood Reporter, A24 captured 5.5% of the market, surpassing Warner Bros. at 5% and Paramount at 4.5%.

Global Box Office noted that this marks the first time an independent distributor has outperformed a Big Five studio in the summer. Universal, Disney, and Sony collectively dominated the season, holding approximately 26%, 22%, and 21% of the market share, respectively, totaling around 70%. Although the percentage gap between A24 and the legacy studios is small, it is significant given A24’s limited theatrical presence.

The exact revenue figures differ by source. Variety’s data, as reported by Screen Rant, indicated A24 earned $237 million, compared to Warner Bros. at $165 million and Paramount at $192 million. Deadline’s summer rankings, covering May 1 through September 7, placed A24 at approximately $244 million, ahead of Warner Bros. at $239.3 million and Paramount at $219.8 million. In both reports, A24 emerged on top.

A significant part of A24’s success can be attributed to one film. ‘Backrooms,’ inspired by Kane Parsons’ viral web series, debuted on May 29 and grossed $81 million domestically from 3,442 theaters, marking A24’s largest opening ever. Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, the film was produced for an estimated $10 million.

Since its release, ‘Backrooms’ has grossed around $402 million worldwide, making it A24’s highest-grossing film to date. This impressive return on a modest budget has propelled the company beyond its typical range.

However, ‘Backrooms’ wasn’t the sole contributor to A24’s success. Olivia Wilde’s comedy ‘The Invite’ garnered about $26 million domestically and $55.7 million globally, marking a rare summer success for a comedy. The Anthony Bourdain biopic ‘Tony’ achieved approximately $15 million domestically after a standout limited opening.

Earlier this year, ‘The Drama,’ featuring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, earned around $132 million worldwide. Not every release was a hit, as ‘The Death of Robin Hood’ fell short with about $5.3 million domestically. Nevertheless, A24’s lineup has positioned the company more like a mini-major than a boutique label.

A24’s rise coincided with challenges faced by its competitors. Warner Bros. struggled this summer, with DC Studios’ ‘Supergirl’ earning only $126.4 million worldwide against a reported budget exceeding $170 million. Reports indicated that Warner Bros. experienced a 76% decline from summer 2025, when titles like ‘Superman,’ ‘Weapons,’ and ‘F1’ drove a much stronger season.

Paramount also struggled to find a breakout hit, with ‘Scream 7’ being its top performer at nearly $122 million domestically. The context is crucial, especially with Paramount Skydance’s planned acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery raising questions about the future of film releases from the combined studios. David Ellison has committed to releasing 30 theatrical features annually from the two studios.

Analyst Paul Dergarabedian noted that in 2026, audiences embraced a diverse range of films. While big event movies provided the classic popcorn experience, micro-budget titles like ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’ challenged the conventional notion of summer success. He emphasized that one film shouldn’t bear the weight of an entire summer.

A24 also appears to benefit from its brand recognition. Reports indicate that over half of surveyed audiences in 2026 chose A24 films due to their trust in the company name, a level of loyalty that major studios typically invest billions to cultivate.

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