‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ earns $145 million in second weekend

Marvel’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” roared into its second weekend with $145 million at the North American box office, making it the third-biggest second weekend ever behind only “Avatar” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” That haul comes just seven days after the film opened to a record $260 million domestic debut, crushing expectations and cementing its place as the fastest Marvel Cinematic Universe movie to cross $500 million worldwide. The only domestic opening that came close this year was Pixar’s “Toy Story 5,” which debuted to roughly the same figure, underscoring how rare it is for a single film to dominate for two straight weekends.

The surge reflects a rare convergence of Marvel’s brand power, star power, and audience hunger for fresh Spider-Man stories. Tom Holland returns as a 30-something Peter Parker grappling with adulthood, a theme that resonates with older millennials who grew up with the character. Director Jon Watts trades comic-book spectacle for grounded drama, focusing on Parker’s struggle to balance heroics with a normal life—something fans have craved since the rushed endings of previous MCU chapters. Marketing has leaned into nostalgia and relatability, not just spectacle, using social media teasers that highlight Holland’s emotional performance and the film’s quieter character moments.

Industry analysts point to word-of-mouth and repeat viewings as key drivers. Audiences gave the film an A CinemaScore and 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, unusual for a mid-winter blockbuster. Families returned in force, but so did older fans making second and third trips. The weekend-to-weekend drop was only 44%, far below the steep 60-70% typical for comic-book sequels, signaling strong legs. Internationally, the film added $320 million, pushing its global total past $820 million after just 10 days, according to Variety.

With no major competition on the horizon until “Dune: Part Two” in March, “Brand New Day” is likely to stay at or near the top through President’s Day weekend. Theaters are counting on it to offset soft January receipts and prove that superhero fatigue hasn’t set in. For Sony, which co-finances the Spider-Man films with Marvel/Disney, every extra dollar matters—especially after last year’s “Kraven the Hunter” was delayed and “Venom 3” faces an uncertain future. The movie’s legs could determine how aggressively studios greenlight Spider-Man spin-offs and whether Holland’s final solo outing gets a wider release window. Either way, the box office math shows Marvel’s web-slinger still swings highest.