Spider-Man swings in to save the day, again, when Marvel Studios needs its friendly neighborhood superhero most. Marvel dented its reputation as a box-office juggernaut after several of the franchise's films — remember The Marvels — fell well short of expectations.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the latest movie in the long-running Marvel series, is breaking box-office records after a colossal opening: highest-earning previews with $72 million, record earnings for a Friday release at the box office, highest-opening debut weekend and fastest film of 2026 to earn $1 billion worldwide.

If public interest in superhero movies is indeed waning, Forbes contributor Sophia Morano writes, "Spider-Man is still a long way away from overstaying his welcome – if he ever will.” And Spidey's success could renew the momentum for other Marvel movies, including the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday in December.

Spider-Man About To Take Over IMAX

The latest Tom Holland-led Spider-Man played on premium screens around the world, including ScreenX and 4DX formats, which earned a record $31 million worldwide on opening weekend. But IMAX screens – including all 41 locations with the IMAX 70mm format – were occupied by Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. In fact, Nolan’s take on Homer's epic boosted shares of IMAX stock to an all-time high as moviegoers further embrace premium formats.

“IMAX is taking a disproportionately large share of theatrical spending relative to the number of screens it operates, while expanding its footprint and attracting movies marketed specifically around the format,” Forbes........

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