entertainment
Spidey’s Sense for Success
The masked web-slinger has been setting box-office records for decades, even as the popularity of superhero movies wanes.
TL;DR
- Cinemas are experiencing their best financial year since before the pandemic, driven by major hits.
- Superhero movies, once blockbusters, are showing signs of weakness, with some recent titles failing to meet expectations.
- The new Spider-Man sequel, "Brand New Day," has broken numerous box-office records, including domestic opening weekend earnings.
- Despite being the fourth MCU Spider-Man film and Tom Holland's seventh appearance as the character, "Brand New Day" succeeded by offering a general reset and focusing on street-level villains in New York City.
- The film is on track to be the first to earn $1 billion in the US and Canada alone and may approach the worldwide box-office record.
- Spider-Man has historically been the most consistent comic-book movie star, with 11 films grossing nearly $11 billion worldwide.
- The character's relatability as a nerdy teen, original creation by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, and energetic portrayal by Holland contribute to his appeal.
- Spider-Man's brand has been successfully extended to younger audiences through cartoons like "Spidey and His Amazing Friends" and popular video games.
- The star power of Tom Holland and Zendaya, who also star in "The Odyssey," adds to the film's authenticity and appeal, particularly to younger viewers.
- Zendaya's ability to draw young audiences to films like "The Drama" suggests her influence on the success of broadly crowd-pleasing movies like "Brand New Day."