New Sequel Becomes the Highest-Grossing Movie of 2026 by Far (& You Haven’t Even Heard of It)

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Last year, the world’s highest-earning movie wasn’t a typical Hollywood hit. Surprisingly, it was Ne Zha 2, a Chinese animated fantasy film. The sequel earned over $2.2 billion, making it one of only a handful of movies to ever reach that level of success. Despite only making $23.3 million in the United States, Ne Zha 2 became the fifth-highest-grossing film worldwide, highlighting the enormous size and influence of the Chinese box office. Now, just a few months into 2026, another Chinese sequel is gaining popularity, and it might be unfamiliar to American viewers.

The Chinese comedy sequel Pegasus 3 has become the highest-grossing film of the year so far, earning $369.3 million in just its first six days, according to Variety. This is a substantial amount, far exceeding the $152.1 million earned by Wuthering Heights, which currently holds the top spot among Hollywood films this year.

Will Pegasus 3 Be One of the Top Movies at the 2026 Box Office?

Like Ne Zha 2, Pegasus 3 came out during the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, which is a big reason why it’s been so successful in theaters. People enjoyed seeing the sequel as part of their holiday celebrations. While it’s too early to know the film’s ultimate performance, it’s already a contender to be one of the year’s highest-grossing movies. Having already earned close to $400 million, it has a good chance of finishing in the top 10. For comparison, the tenth highest-grossing film globally in 2025 was Superman, which made $618.7 million. Pegasus 3 needs to earn another $250 million to reach that level, but given its strong start, it’s likely to surpass $600 million easily.

It’s early in the year, so the biggest movies planned for 2026 are still several months away. Predicting box office success is tricky after the pandemic, but several major films are expected to be popular. This summer could be especially big, with Toy Story 5, Minions & Monsters, Moana, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day all releasing within a six-week period – potentially earning over a billion dollars each. Other anticipated releases like The Mandalorian and Grogu, The Odyssey, Dune: Part Three, and Avengers: Doomsday are also coming out, meaning Pegasus 3 will face strong competition from Hollywood throughout the year.

Several big Hollywood movies could earn close to $700 million worldwide this year, though some might not perform as well as expected. Last year, films like Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Wicked: For Good didn’t quite break into the top 10. While it’s easy to predict a movie’s success months in advance, nothing is certain until it’s released. If some of this year’s biggest films disappoint, Pegasus 3 could have a chance to become a top 10 hit, particularly if it opens strongly and maintains that momentum.

Whether Pegasus 3 becomes a top 10 film this year depends on how well it performs after its initial release. Usually, American movies see a big drop in ticket sales during their second weekend because the initial excitement fades. That could happen here, but Ne Zha 2 proved that Chinese films can stay popular for weeks, eventually earning $2 billion. While Ne Zha 2 was an animated family film and Pegasus 3 is a live-action comedy, it shows that Chinese audiences will consistently support a movie they really enjoy.

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2026-02-24 18:42