The Town with Matthew Belloni The 2026 Summer Box Office Winners, Losers, and Head-Scratchers
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Sep 4, 2026 
Scott Mendelson, a box-office analyst and entertainment writer, joins Matt Belloni to revisit their 2026 summer predictions. They size up The Odyssey’s Nolan-fueled phenomenon, Spider-Man’s winning strategy, Supergirl’s marketing woes, Moana’s remake problem, Minions fatigue, and the surprises behind Toy Story 5, Scary Movie 6, and Disclosure Day.
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Mandalorian Needed More Than A TV-Style Adventure
- Mandalorian and Grogu felt like two enhanced television episodes rather than a cinematic evolution of the franchise.
- Positive reactions from children could not overcome the weaker theatrical proposition, although Disney+ performance may still be strong.
He-Man Nostalgia Could Not Find A New Audience
- Masters of the Universe targeted older men who remembered He-Man while offering little to younger audiences.
- Its $113 million worldwide gross demonstrated the danger of spending blockbuster money on outdated brand recognition.
Small IP Hits Can Anchor A Studio Slate
- Scary Movie 6 earned $232 million worldwide on a much smaller budget, proving that modestly scaled recognizable IP can be highly profitable.
- Matt Belloni described this as a “Paramount blockbuster” model built around dependable singles and doubles rather than billion-dollar franchises.
