Blockbusters, Comedies and Family Favorites Dominate Pre-Christmas Weekend at Marcus Theatres

Key Terms

theatrical window financial

The theatrical window is the period of time a movie is shown exclusively in cinemas before it becomes available for rental, purchase, streaming, or other home viewing. For investors, this window affects how and when a film can earn money from ticket sales versus other revenue streams, much like a bakery offering fresh bread only in the shop for a few days before selling leftover loaves at a discount elsewhere.

Weekend national box office increased over 25% led by Avatar: Fire and Ash; Marcus Theatres captures second biggest pre-Christmas weekend since 2021; diverse slate of must-see movies continues into 2026

MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A broad slate of appealing films, led by the highly anticipated release of Avatar: Fire and Ash, is delivering an exciting holiday season at Marcus Theatres^®, the nation’s fourth largest theatre circuit and a division of Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS). With the U.S. box office up over 25% this weekend compared to the same period last year, moviegoers enjoyed films across a wide variety of genres. As a result, Marcus Theatres recorded its second-best pre-Christmas weekend since 2021.

“Closing 2025 on a high note with so many exciting and diverse films further reinforces that consumers of all ages and demographics want to experience movie magic on the big screen,” said Greg Marcus, chief executive officer of Marcus Corporation. “This year treated our moviegoers to some of the biggest releases of all-time, delivered a record Memorial Day weekend, and now offers an exceptional slate of films for the holiday season. And every one of our top performing films included an exclusive theatrical window that supports an ecosystem of success for creators, studios, exhibitors, and eventually streaming, as the contagious buzz from theatrical elevates these films even more. But most importantly, consumers continue to show that they want to wrap themselves in great stories with incredible sound, massive screens, and shared experiences uniquely found in a movie theatre.”

Avatar: Fire and Ash is emerging as one of the most successful films of the year, drawing crowds of all ages to Marcus Theatres and Movie Tavern^® locations across 17 states. The film mesmerized fans with cutting-edge moviemaking technology and jaw dropping visuals that brought Pandora to life on the big screen. Avatar: Fire and Ash followed the lead of the first two films in the series, both of which are among the most successful movies of all time at the box office. Moviegoers will have plenty of opportunities to see for themselves as Avatar: Fire and Ash is expected to wow and attract audiences throughout the holiday season and well into 2026.

Other new releases including the suspenseful thriller The Housemaid, animated musical David, and the animated adventure The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, added to this weekend’s success. The fresh wave of holiday releases joins the ongoing resilience of other hit films, as crowds continue to turn out for record-setting movies Zootopia 2 and Wicked: For Good.

The strong weekend sets the stage for the next round of new releases, limited-time giveaways, and festive fun at Marcus Theatres. Christmas Day is historically one of the busiest moviegoing days of the year, and this year audiences will have more to celebrate with new buzzworthy films including Anaconda, Marty Supreme, and Song Sung Blue, all set for their eagerly awaited debuts on December 25.

Fans of Stranger Things will experience the Upside Down like never before when Marcus Theatres brings the finale of the hit TV show to the big screen at select locations on December 31 and January 1.

In addition to these upcoming releases, Marcus Theatres moviegoers will also enjoy limited time collectibles and giveaways including:

• Anaconda collectible prints at participating locations beginning December 24. Special collectible Anaconda popcorn buckets for purchase that may “bite” when you reach in.
• Song Sung Blue Christmas Day ornaments during select showings at participating locations on December 25.
• Scratch-off cards for every moviegoer at most locations on December 25 and 26, with prizes and offers ranging from free concession items to discounts. The prizes and offers are redeemable from January 5 through January 31.

Tickets and showtimes for all movies playing at Marcus Theatres and Movie Tavern^® locations can be found at marcustheatres.com and on the Marcus Theatres mobile app.

Movie fans in search of a last-minute present this holiday season, can give and receive the gift of experiences with a Marcus Movie Club membership and special holiday offers with the purchase of Marcus Theatres gift cards.

About Marcus Theatres

Marcus Theatres^®, a division of Marcus Corporation, is the fourth-largest theatre circuit in the United States and currently owns or operates 985 screens at 78 locations in 17 states under the Marcus Theatres, Movie Tavern^® by Marcus and BistroPlex^® brands. For more information, please visit www.marcustheatres.com and follow the company on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

About Marcus Corporation

Headquartered in Milwaukee, Marcus Corporation is a leader in the lodging and entertainment industries, with significant company-owned real estate assets. In addition to its Marcus Theatres division, its lodging division, Marcus^® Hotels & Resorts, owns and/or manages 16 hotels, resorts and other properties in eight states. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.marcuscorp.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222220511/en/

Jenni Tetzlaff, PR Manager, Marcus Theatres

o: (414) 905-1529 c: (414) 429-0667

jennitetzlaff@marcustheatres.com

Source: The Marcus Corporation