AMC shares jump 20% as May attendance hits 25.5M

AMC Entertainment’s stock climbed 20% to $2.09 on Monday after the company reported 25.5 million moviegoers at AMC Theatres and Odeon Cinemas worldwide in May, the highest May attendance since 2019. The figure included 4.2 million patrons over the Memorial Day weekend. The move followed a 9.5% gain in the stock on Friday.

The company reported that domestic box-office results in 2026 have frequently met or exceeded expectations, supported by a mix of established franchises and new releases. One of the top openers was the horror film Backrooms, which generated $81 million at the domestic box office on its opening weekend. The lower-budget psychological horror film Obsession has surpassed $100 million in ticket sales despite a reported production budget of about $750,000.

AMC said Backrooms was the sixth film in the past 10 weeks to debut with more than $75 million in domestic ticket sales. Other recent big openers include The Devil Wears Prada 2, Project Hail Mary, Michael, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and The Mandalorian and Grogu. The company attributed the results to a lineup of films backed by substantial marketing.

Chief Executive Adam Aron wrote that the current slate mixes established franchises with new intellectual property and that recent releases have driven attendance. He added that the company expects more audience draws in the weeks ahead, highlighting upcoming titles such as Scary Movie, Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day and Toy Story 5.

Rival Cinemark reported record attendance for May and all-time highs in food and beverage spending per customer. Both chains are preparing for a busy summer release schedule that includes Masters of the Universe, Supergirl and Minions and Monsters.

The recent run of films with large openings, together with higher concession spending per patron, has coincided with rising attendance at major theater chains. Exhibitors are positioning for summer releases after several years of uneven box-office recovery.