Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Sunday, May 10, 2026
Mortal Kombat II and Devil Wears Prada 2 Battle to $41 Million Each in Mother’s Day Weekend Dead Heat
In a rare box office dead heat, Mortal Kombat II (Warner Bros.) and The Devil Wears Prada 2 (Disney) each grossed an estimated $41 million domestically over the Mother’s Day weekend, setting up one of the closest No. 1 races of the year. The fighting-game sequel opened across 3,503 North American theaters, with a $17 million Friday edging its fashion-forward rival on opening day. The fashion sequel’s 74-percent female audience powered a strong Sunday bump. Combined, both new openings pushed the weekend total to $161 million, up 92 percent over the comparable frame a year earlier.
Sources: Deadline
Devil Wears Prada 2 Surpasses Original Film’s $326 Million Global Lifetime Gross in Record Ten Days
The Devil Wears Prada 2 (Disney/20th Century Studios) crossed the $326.5 million global lifetime gross of the original 2006 film on Mother’s Day Sunday, a milestone reached in just 10 days of release. The sequel starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci had accumulated $101.8 million domestically in its first week and $222.2 million internationally for a 10-day cumulative of $324 million before Sunday’s close. The film’s nostalgia-driven campaign and 74-percent female audience propelled the sequel well past its original projection of $40–$50 million, making it the second-biggest worldwide debut of 2026.
Sources: Deadline
2026 Spring Box Office Defies Expectations as Three Films Hit Global Milestones Driven by New Marketing Playbooks
The 2026 domestic box office runs 14 percent ahead of the comparable 2025 period, powered by three films approaching or exceeding $400 million worldwide: Michael (nearing $413 million global in its third weekend), The Devil Wears Prada 2, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (nearing $900 million worldwide). The milestone spring is widely attributed to campaigns that moved beyond traditional TV spots—creator partnerships, social-first strategies, immersive fan activations, and precision demographic targeting drove audiences that sustained runs well past opening weekends, defying the sharp declines that have troubled Hollywood in recent years.
Sources: Deadline
IT: Welcome to Derry Leads 2026 Golden Trailer Awards Nominations With Nine Nods; Disney Tops All Studios
The nominees for the 2026 Golden Trailer Awards were unveiled this week, with IT: Welcome to Derry—the HBO Max series continuation of the It franchise—leading all titles with nine nominations, including spots in the horror and television categories. Disney leads all distributors with 144 nominations across its theatrical and streaming slate, while trailer house AV Squad paces all agencies with 52 nominations, seeking a third consecutive Agency of the Year title. The 26th edition of the ceremony, hosted by comedian Morgan Jay, takes place May 28 at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, recognizing excellence in film and television marketing.
Sources: Deadline
TV Upfronts 2026 Open This Week as Streaming Ad Revenue Hits $13.2 Billion, Reshaping Film Marketing Budgets
The 2026 television upfronts begin this week in Manhattan, with eight companies presenting to national advertisers over three days—from NBCUniversal at Radio City Music Hall to YouTube closing at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Theater. Streaming ad revenue climbed 17.9 percent to $13.2 billion in the most recent upfront cycle, while traditional linear budgets continue migrating toward digital and social video. An iSpot survey found 31 percent of brand marketers plan to hold spending steady or increase it, with half prioritizing streaming. The shift directly shapes film studio media planning, as theatrical campaigns rely on upfront commitments to secure premium inventory before summer release windows open.
Sources: Deadline
Box Office — Currently in Theatres
| # | Title | Release Date | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mortal Kombat II | May 8 | $41.2M | $41.2M |
| 2 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | May 1 | $41.0M | $119.7M |
| 3 | Michael | Apr 25 | $35.1M | $238.8M |
| 4 | The Sheep Detectives | May 8 | $14.9M | $14.9M |
| 5 | Billie Eilish Tour | May 8 | $8.1M | $8.1M |
| 6 | Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Mar 27 | $7.0M | $393.4M |
| 7 | Project Hail Mary | Mar 6 | $4.9M | $294.7M |
| 8 | Hokum | May 1 | $3.5M | $10.2M |
| 9 | Animal Farm | May 1 | $2.0M | $5.4M |
| 10 | Lee Cronin’s The Mummy | Apr 18 | $1.3M | $17.2M |
| 11 | Deep Water | May 1 | $1.2M | $4.1M |
| 12 | Slime Movie | Apr 24 | $0.9M | $2.5M |
| 13 | The Drama | Feb 27 | $0.6M | $52.3M |
| 14 | Scream 7 | Mar 27 | $0.5M | $64.2M |
| 15 | Hoppers | Feb 13 | $0.5M | $164.9M |
| 16 | You, Me & Tuscany | Apr 3 | $0.4M | $13.6M |
| 17 | Wuthering Heights | Mar 13 | $0.3M | $28.1M |
| 18 | A Great Awakening | Apr 17 | $0.3M | $8.7M |
| 19 | Our Land | May 1 | $0.2M | $0.2M |
| 20 | Avatar: Fire and Ash | Jan 2 | $0.1M | $306.4M |
Source: Box Office Mojo · Weekend estimates
Curated by JD · samwise.agency