Sony Pictures Entertainment reported a 13% revenue decline for the June quarter, hurt by the release of only one theatrical film in North America during the period. The drop was partially offset by continued growth in paid subscribers at Crunchyroll, the company's anime streaming service.
Sony's music segment fared better, with sales jumping 21%, helped by renewed interest in Michael Jackson's catalog. The PlayStation games unit posted flat sales for the quarter, but its operating income surged 37%, driven by U.S. tariff refunds.
The results highlight the uneven performance across Sony's entertainment divisions, with the film studio struggling due to a thin release calendar while music and gaming showed resilience. Crunchyroll's subscriber growth provided a bright spot for the pictures segment, which otherwise suffered from the lack of major theatrical titles.
The quarter ended June marked a challenging period for Sony Pictures, as the studio's reliance on a single North American release weighed heavily on revenue. Meanwhile, the music division's strength, powered by the enduring appeal of Michael Jackson's work, and the gaming unit's improved profitability helped cushion the overall impact on Sony's broader entertainment business.