☀️ 18–34s Power Holiday Box Office, Even as Their Movies Disappear
‘Stranger Things’ topping New Years 💰 / NETFLIX sets new NFL high
Mornin! This is Sean McNulty (connect with me on LINKEDIN here if ya like or email me at seanmcnultynyc@gmail.com), and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on Friday, January 2, 2026.
Where welcome to a brand new year! I even remembered to change the “2025” to “2026” at the top of this newsletter today, so things are off to a great start. 💪
Plus, we didn’t have 2 feet of snow in 24 hours like the folks in Syracuse, NY, on Dec. 30. Gotta love a city where that happens, and it doesn’t sound like its residents let it get in the way of their New Year’s Eve plans or getting into the office.
AND: For any of my fellow non-cable TV bundle (and non $30/month ESPN) folks — here are the CFP 🏈 semi-final games for next week. Games that are also only on cable TV and $30 streaming. Or you can pay $10 for a SLING 3-day pass.
Thu. Jan. 8: OLE MISS vs. MIAMI
Fri. Jan. 9: INDIANA vs. OREGON
OR: You could spend just $5 at a CINEMARK theater on the Sunday or Monday of MLK weekend to get up to 400 oz. of popcorn if you “BYOB”/bring your own bucket to fill. Nothing quite like 71g of fat and 1650 calories to get your 2026 resolutions off on the right foot. Oh, wait, that’s only for 200 oz. of popcorn — so be sure to make it a date night.
PERHAPS: You can bring Warren Buffett instead — he’s officially no longer CEO of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY, so he should have some time on his hands. Maybe keep the popcorn in a small bag for the 95-year-old (who will remain Chairman of the Board).
BUT: Maybe $5 popcorn day will mark the turnaround of U.S. consumer sentiment! As go the independents . . . so go U.S. elections. See you in November.
GRANTED: That new Harris Poll ☝️ was conducted before Trump’s Dec. 17 national TV address insisting things are going very well — and we’ll see if most folks who didn’t make 7-figures . . . or even 6-figures in 2025 are feeling richer with their tax returns from the Big Beautiful Bill over the next few months.
OH: French legislators will begin drafting legislation to propose a ban on social media for kids under 15, potentially following Australia’s lead.
AND: DISNEY paid $10M to settle a lawsuit claiming it failed to designate some YOUTUBE content as directed toward children, and thus collected viewer data from kids without parental notice and consent.
THEN: Will Ferrell does love a hockey game.
FINALLY: I’ll round out up top here today with a note of optimism for the 2026 housing market — 2025 rounded out with its lowest 30-year fixed rate average of the year, falling to 6.15%.
🎥 THE SILVER SCREEN
Holiday Box Office Updates
Here are the updated U.S. totals for the holiday releases through New Year’s Eve — with the stronger New Year’s Day/4-day weekend ahead. Listed by the New Year’s Eve grosses ranking:
Avatar: Fire and Ash: $250M
The last one was at $338M after its 13th day . . . but it also came out 3 days earlier, so it had more of a Christmas run-up.
Still, running a bit short — but we’ll have a fairer comp after this weekend.
Global is at $860M.
Zootopia 2: $338M
This is now ahead of Wicked: For Good’s U.S. tally through New Year’s Eve ($335M).
Marty Supreme: $39M
A24 getting more distance from SONY’s Anaconda as time goes on.
David: $59M
This should surpass ANGEL’s King of Kings from Easter ($60.2M).
Anaconda: $32M
The Housemaid: $56M
This should overtake Now You See Me’s $62M U.S. take this weekend to be LIONSGATE’s biggest movie this year (Ballerina topped off at $59M).
Song Sung Blue: $17M
SpongeBob: $46M
