The current Comscore box office figures Figures for the German cinema market show an overall stable first half of 2026, albeit one heavily influenced by a weaker second quarter. Whilst the first few months of the year were still buoyed by several successful cinema releases and solid audience figures, the market lost considerable momentum as early summer progressed.

According to the industry survey conducted by Comscore (formerly Rentrak) reported that ticket sales in the first half of the year totalled around 46 million admissions, with box office takings of just under 490 million euros. The market thus remains above last year’s figures, although growth has slowed noticeably compared with earlier interim figures.

Second quarter below expectations

The trend in the second quarter is particularly striking. Whilst the first quarter still benefited from a steady stream of new releases and robust cinema-going, attendance figures fell significantly in the second quarter. June, in particular, stands out as the weakest month of the first half of the year.

Industry analysts attribute this to several factors:

• a small number of major German and international blockbusters during the period
• unusually high temperatures over a period of several weeks, which took their toll on the cinema industry
• a generally lighter release schedule in late spring

This combination meant that, whilst growth in the overall market remained positive, it fell well short of the expectations of many industry players.

A German film with a mixed reception

For the German film industry, the results for the second quarter are particularly sobering. Despite a few successful titles, the industry failed to generate any lasting momentum in the market. Whilst some local productions enjoyed solid opening weekends, they failed to attract a wide audience.

The results reveal a familiar pattern: the German film industry continues to benefit greatly from individual hits, but is only able to sustain this success to a limited extent over longer periods. Consequently, its dependence on a small number of successful films remains high.

Assessment: stable, but fragile

Despite this dip, the market as a whole remains in positive territory. Comscore data show that the cinema sector in Germany continues to perform well, albeit with increasing volatility from quarter to quarter.

The key factor for the second half of the year will be whether major international releases and stronger German productions can make up for the shortfall from the second quarter.