For more than two decades, Spider-Man has been one of the most reliable box office draws in Hollywood. When director Sam Raimi brought the iconic superhero to the big screen for the first time in 2002, Spider-Man became the first film in history to earn $100+ million domestically in a single weekend. Since then, whether it’s Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, or Tom Holland under the mask, audiences have come out in droves to see the web head (The Amazing Spider-Man 2, considered a disappointment, still made $716.9 million worldwide). Considering the character’s enduring popularity, it was no surprise when Spider-Man: Brand New Day was projected to score the year’s biggest opening. What was a surprise was just how big that opening was.
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According to Deadline, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is estimated to earn $355 million domestically in its opening weekend. That’s the second-biggest debut of all time, just behind Avengers: Endgame ($357.1 million). Per Variety, Brand New Day netted $927 million worldwide, which is also second to only Endgame ($1.2 billion). This caps off a record-breaking debut for Brand New Day, which previously set new all-time marks for preview screenings and opening day grosses. Brand New Day is just the second film ever to earn $300+ million in its opening weekend:
| Movie | Opening Weekend (Domestic) |
| Avengers: Endgame | $357.1 million |
| Spider-Man: Brand New Day | $355 million |
| Spider-Man: No Way Home | $260.1 million |
| Avengers: Infinity War | $257.6 million |
| Star Wars: The Force Awakens | $247.9 million |
Why Did Spider-Man: Brand New Day Challenge Avengers: Endgame‘s Record?
It’s important to keep in mind that the $355 million figure is still a projection. Deadline notes that “there’s still a shot” Brand New Day could beat Endgame‘s all-time record, but that will depend on how things play out today (August 2nd). Even if Brand New Day ultimately falls short, Sony and Marvel have plenty of reasons to celebrate. The latest Spider-Man movie completely obliterated franchise records and is easily on track to soar past the $1 billion mark (there’s a strong chance it joins the $2 billion club). As we wait for the actual numbers to come in, the biggest question is why was Brand New Day an Avengers: Endagme-level draw?
Spider-Man: No Way Home was released during the pandemic, but it beating Avengers: Infinity War was somewhat understandable. Audiences were eager to go back to the theater and experience an event movie with a large crowd, plus No Way Home was heavily marketed around the nostalgia of seeing classic actors from previous Spider-Man film series return to their roles after so many years. It was an Avengers-style crossover packed into a solo Spider-Man movie, generating intense buzz and hype. Brand New Day features Marvel fan favorites like Punisher and Hulk (plus had the mystery surrounding Sadie Sink’s character), but on the surface, it didn’t appear to have the same kind of drawing power as No Way Home.
Perhaps the simplest explanation is that it’s been five years since No Way Home came out. Audiences have had real time to miss Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, making his long-awaited return to the big screen an exciting development. And after No Way Home‘s emotional ending, fans were very curious to see how Brand New Day would follow through on that gutpunch. Trailers and other marketing materials promised a classic Peter Parker story that embraced the source material’s roots, exploring Peter’s inner turmoil as he struggles to adjust to the life he’s chosen. It was an angle that felt reminiscent of Sam Raimi’s seminal original films while also feeling fresh for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s portrayal of the character. People were excited to watch more of a street-level Spider-Man movie.
It also didn’t hurt that Brand New Day was very well-received, earning the MCU’s highest Rotten Tomatoes score in five years. Several of this summer’s major studio releases underwhelmed at the box office, and a common denominator in those cases was mixed word of mouth. General audiences have shown they’re still willing to head out to the theater in record-breaking numbers (The Odyssey broke records of its own a couple weeks ago), but they want to feel that the film is worth the trip to the theater. People enthusiastically praising Brand New Day combined with Spider-Man’s status as Marvel’s most popular hero was a perfect box office storm.
After Five Years, Spider-Man: Brand New Day Actually Delivers on Marvel’s Promise
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