The weekend movie box office story sent to AP member papers for publication on August 24 is correct only on its own terms, but otherwise misleading and useless, because it commits a fundamental journalistic sin: failing to inflate historic dollar figures. It would have taken less than 10 minutes to multiply ticket sales by the 2026 admission price of $15, thus making box office figures legitimately comparable, as I did here.

The second of seven paragraphs in the story says: “Spider-Man, which has now made more than $854.9 million in North America, will soon surpass Avengers: Endgame to become the second highest-grossing domestic release of all time.” This comparison is rendered meaningless by the story’s own admission in the fourth paragraph: “not accounting for inflation.” I once worked for UPI; I know about deadlines. “Get it first, but first get it right.”

This was an overnight story, not breaking news. There was time to do it right, had the writer or editors known to avoid the common error that produces misleading and/or meaningless stories based on non-adjusted historic dollar figures.

A more accurate lede graf would have said:

Spider-Man,” which has now made more than $854.9 million in North America, will soon surpass Inside Out 2 and Barbie to become the 33rd highest-grossing domestic release of all time.

The story, if based on meaningful information, could have continued:

If it continues at its present pace, the newest installment could surpass the previous films in the franchise, Spider-Man: No Way Home (adjusted gross $1.2 billion) or Spider-man: Brand New Day (adjusted gross $1 billion).