‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Swings to China’s Biggest Superhero Opening in Seven Years - The Hollywood Reporter

What the report says

Hollywood Reporter says Sony and Marvel’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” opened in China on Wednesday with the strongest start for a U.S. superhero film there in years. The outlet reported that the Tom Holland-led movie had taken in more than $16.5 million by midday, while Chinese ticketing platform Maoyan was estimating a first-day total of about $37.4 million. That would put it ahead of recent superhero releases in the market and near the 2019 opening-day level of “Spider-Man: Far From Home.”

The report said local box-office services were also projecting a large full run, with Maoyan forecasting roughly $255 million and Dengta estimating more than $265 million. Hollywood Reporter cautioned that early forecasts often change as a theatrical run develops. Still, a result near those figures would make the film one of Hollywood’s biggest China performers since “Avengers: Endgame,” and potentially above “Avatar: The Way of Water” in that market.

The strong opening matters because U.S. superhero movies have struggled in China in recent years, after a period when some Marvel titles did not receive releases and later entries posted comparatively modest totals. The article notes that Chinese moviegoers have increasingly favored domestic blockbusters, while “Spider-Man” has remained a stronger Hollywood brand locally.

Hollywood Reporter also pointed to China-specific promotion around the release: the film opened there before North America, received an exclusive Imax launch, and Holland and Zendaya attended a Shanghai premiere. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, “Brand New Day” is described as following Peter Parker several years after “No Way Home.”