The Black Ball, directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, has become the third-highest-grossing Spanish film of all time. Through November 1, the production had generated €36.7 million in ticket sales and attracted 5.4 million moviegoers, placing it behind only two other Spanish films.
Starring Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close and inspired by Federico García Lorca, the film has reached a younger audience than dramas typically attract. Rentrak survey findings show that almost 40% of respondents were under 35, while women accounted for more than 62% of those surveyed.
The production has also been preselected as a candidate to represent Spain at the 2027 Oscars. Although this is not a final selection, the recognition could provide a further boost to its theatrical earnings.
The film’s commercial performance coincides with a broader recovery in Spain’s box office revenue. During the first 41 weeks of 2026, ticket sales increased by 40% to €489.4 million, putting revenue 8% above the pre-pandemic average for the equivalent period.
Attendance, however, presents a different picture from revenue: the number of moviegoers has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. From January through September, audiences grew by 29% over 2025, but were still 13% below the average for 2017–2019. The recovery in ticket income has therefore not been matched by a full recovery in audience numbers.
