The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday edition that movie theatres in the United States and Canada sold an estimated $8.9-billion in tickets in 2025, a 2-per-cent increase compared with a year earlier (all figures U.S.). A New York Times dispatch to The Globe says that was no small achievement given the staggering number of seats that went unsold in months like October, when one film after another (The Smashing Machine, Tron: Ares and Springsteen) fizzled in wide release. Theatres also got smarter about catering to the people who still show up. The number of "habitual" moviegoers, increased 8 per cent. Growing membership programs such as AMC Stubs A-List, Regal Unlimited, Cinemark Movie Club and the resurrected MoviePass added momentum. Some movies connected with audiences to an unexpected degree. Studios started one colossal new franchise (Minecraft) and revived another (Lilo and Stitch). However, for the most part, dramas and comedies continued to flatline. The carnage included the poorly reviewed Ella McCay, which was written and directed by Hollywood legend James L. Brooks. It cost an estimated $60-million to make and market and has collected about $4-million in North America since its release Dec. 12.