The box office landscape has shifted as a new superhero film officially takes the top spot. Spider-Man: Brand New Day has set a record for the highest domestic opening weekend, pulling in $360 million. This total puts it just ahead of the $357 million opening once held by Avengers: Endgame.
Joe and Anthony Russo, the directors behind Avengers: Endgame, publicly acknowledged the change. They posted a message to the team behind the new Spider-Man release, including director Destin Daniel Cretton and stars Tom Holland and Zendaya. The Russos used an image of the hero wearing victory rings as a salute to the new achievement, noting that the gauntlet has been passed.
Only two films in history have managed to exceed the $300 million mark during their debut weekend. While Avengers: Endgame holds the record for the biggest global opening at $1.2 billion, the new Spider-Man entry is showing strength with a global debut of $927 million. It also reached the $1 billion milestone in six days, making it the second-fastest movie to do so.
The industry trend of directors passing the baton is well established. In 2019, James Cameron shared a similar sentiment when Avengers: Endgame surpassed Titanic in total earnings. As the box office numbers continue to climb, it remains to be seen if the new film will challenge the final earnings record set by the Avengers saga.
The Russo Brothers will soon have another opportunity to challenge these records themselves. Their next project, Avengers: Doomsday, is scheduled for release on December 18. Expectations for that film are high as the studio looks to maintain the momentum seen in the recent box office results.