German cinemas posted a solid recovery in 2025, with box-office revenues rising by 9% year on year to €864 million, while admissions increased by 4.5% to 84.6 million tickets, according to Comscore. The result marks a clear improvement on 2024, which closed at €793 million and 80.9 million admissions, and brings the market close to the €859 million recorded in 2023, albeit with slightly fewer tickets sold that year (87.2 million).

A key driver of the rebound was the strong performance of domestic productions. German films accounted for a 24.8% market share in value terms, and 27% of total admissions - the highest level seen in many years - underlining the enduring pulling power of local titles.

Topping the annual rankings was Manitou’s Canoe, which became the most successful film of the year in Germany with over five million admissions. Released by Constantin Film, the comedy western grossed €50.9 million in 2025. The film is the sequel to Manitou’s Shoe and is directed, co-written and produced by Michael “Bully” Herbig, who also stars in the work.

Second place went to Avatar: Fire and Ash, released by Disney, which generated €44 million, followed by A Minecraft Movie (distributed by Warner Bros.) with €35.5 million.

Family titles continued to perform strongly. Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and Zootopia 2 followed with €31.8 million and €31.6 million, respectively. In sixth position was Universal’s Jurassic World: Rebirth, which grossed €29.3 million.

Another local success, Bernhard Jasper and Maggie Peren’s The School of Magical Animals 4, released by Leonine Studios, placed seventh with €24.7 million and nearly three million admissions, confirming the franchise’s enduring appeal.

The remainder of the top ten was rounded out by Sony/Paramount action flick Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning with €17.8 million, Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King at €16.7 million, and Warner Bros.’ The Conjuring: Last Rites, which closed the ranking with €15.3 million.

Overall, the 2025 figures point to a cautiously optimistic outlook for the German theatrical market, with the combination of high-performing domestic productions and resilient international franchises helping to stabilise admissions and revenues after several volatile years.