It seemed obvious from the start that "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" would break through at the box office, but few would have bet on it, in addition to convincing audiences and critics alike, to even break the records of behemoths like "Avengers: Endgame." According to initial global box office estimates, the title has grossed $168 million between previews and its first day, surpassing the $157.4 million of "Evegame." This impressive feat, even without considering the opening weekend results, already demonstrates the film's immense international appeal, and is poised to exceed even the most optimistic expectations.
No less impressive are the Italian box office numbers, which, according to data provided by Cinetel, have seen the best opening ever for a film in the franchise and the second-best opening for a comic book movie. Wednesday, July 29, saw "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" debut with €4,020,018 from 468 theaters. Again, comparisons with the giant "Avengers: Endgame" were inevitable, as it retains the record for the best opening ever for a comic book movie in Italy with €5,167,655.
The excellent results were also helped by the enthusiastic reviews from critics, including those expressed at the end of the press previews in Los Angeles. From the impressions that emerged, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" demonstrates that it has developed the past formula in the right direction, credibly developing the dramatic events seen at the end of the previous film, "No Way Home."
Among the most passionate comments is that of ScreenRant's Molly Freeman, who states without hesitation: "I don't say this lightly: Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the best Spider-Man movie ever made. The story is simple, character-driven, and buoyed by authentic stakes." Equally flattering, though more restrained, is Brandon Pope's opinion, writing: "It's thrilling and spectacular. The Hulk and Punisher work, and the big reveal is on point. It's the best of the Tom Holland series."
With the title now in theaters, it's even more interesting to discover the behind-the-scenes story that led to its final version. According to star Tom Holland, if production had followed the results of various test screenings and the feedback from select audiences, we'd have a completely different film in our hands today. It turns out that all the testers' suggestions were incorporated into a preliminary cut, but, as effective as the strategy seemed, the final result was a prototype that fell short of expectations. The actor stated: "We watched that version and hated it. It didn't work at all. It was what people asked for, but it wasn't what we wanted to achieve as creatives." The experience, however, proved useful in pointing the way forward, aiming to create a sequel that, above all, reflected a specific creative approach, that is, without excessive, and sometimes inappropriate, influence from the fanbase.
