According to Variety, the new Spider-Man film achieved the second-largest opening weekend in box office history, trailing only Avengers: Endgame (2019). The film grossed 355 million USD in North America and 572 million USD internationally, with China leading the international markets at 121 million USD. It also set opening records in several markets, including France, India, Brazil, and Spain.
Industry experts attribute this performance partly to China being one of the world's largest film markets. The Odyssey, however, has not yet been released in China and is set to premiere there on 14/8. Both films are expected to quickly cross the 1 billion USD mark, entering the top 5 highest-grossing films of the year, alongside The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Toy Story 5, and Michael.
The rivalry between Spider-Man and The Odyssey is also notable because both films star Tom Holland and Zendaya. Brand New Day marks Tom Holland's fourth outing as Spider-Man. In the previous installment, Doctor Strange cast a spell causing everyone to forget Peter Parker's identity. Consequently, he must fight crime alone in New York, without the companionship of MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon). Peter faces a new threat with the appearance of a mysterious character, played by Sadie Sink. Simultaneously, Peter undergoes unusual physical transformations that endanger him.
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Tom Holland's appearance in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" (left) and "The Odyssey". Photo: Sony Pictures/Universal Pictures/Cosmic Book News |
In The Odyssey, Holland plays Telemachus, son of Odysseus (portrayed by Matt Damon), while Zendaya takes on the role of the goddess Athena. The film recounts Odysseus's journey home after the Trojan War. He encounters gods and monsters, enduring many trials to reunite with his wife and reclaim his kingdom. The movie also features a star-studded cast including Robert Pattinson, Anne Hathaway, Jon Bernthal, Mia Goth, and Lupita Nyong'o.
In its third week of release, The Odyssey added 136.2 million USD globally, comprising 51 million USD in North America and 85.2 million USD internationally. The film maintained its appeal due to large-screen formats, with IMAX alone contributing 221 million USD. Spider-Man, however, was not screened in IMAX in the U.S. and some other markets because The Odyssey was exclusively playing on that system.
Cat Tien (according to Variety, Deadline)
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