Hollywood has once again cheated death. The first seven-plus months of 2026 have revived the industry’s faith — not just in movies but in the act of going to the theater. Global ticket sales have increased 15% from a year earlier and are on pace for their best annual total since 2019. Five movies have eclipsed $1 billion, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day almost clearing that on opening weekend. With new installments of Dune and Avengers coming, that group could swell to seven — the second-most on record. Bloomberg News Media & Entertainment Managing Editor Lucas Shaw brings us the latest from Hollywood.

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