Russia’s Cheburashka 2 has surged to the top of the global box office, emerging as the highest-grossing film worldwide among 2026 releases just days into the new year.
According to industry analyst Luiz Fernando, the animated family sequel has generated $63.2 million globally placing it well ahead of all other titles released so far in 2026, such as Hong Kong’s Back to the Past ($44.5 million), Russia’s Prostokvashino ($26.8 million) and Buratino ($26.6 million), India’s The Raja Saab ($19.8 million), and a slate of U.S., Vietnamese, and Chinese releases.
Cheburashka 2’s commanding performance is being driven not only by the popularity of the IP (the original film in the highest-grossing in the country at $94 million), but by Russia’s extended New Year holiday period, which runs through Orthodox Christmas on January 7.
The festive corridor traditionally fuels heavy family attendance, with children’s and family-friendly films dominating cinema-going patterns. With Hollywood titles largely absent from Russian theaters, local releases have benefited from near-total control of premium screens and showtimes.
Below are the Top 10 Highest-Grossing 2026 Releases
- Cheburashka 2 (Russia) $63.2M
- Back To The Past (Russia) $44.5M
- Prostokvashino (Russia) $26.8M
- Buratino (Russia) $26.6M
- TheRajaSaab (India) $19.8M
- Primate (U.S) $13.4M
- Greenland 2 Migration (U.S) $12.8M
- Bloody Heaven (Vietnam) $8.9M
- Unexpected Family (China) $5.6M
- We Bury The Dead (U.S) $2.5M