‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Swings to China’s Biggest Superhero Opening in Seven Years
Spider-Man: Brand New Day has arrived in China with a performance that breaks a seven-year drought for American superhero cinema. The film earned $16.5 million by midday on Wednesday, with local industry experts at Maoyan projecting a $37.4 million total for its first day. If these figures hold, it will stand as the strongest opening for any U.S. comic-book adaptation in China since 2019.
Local analysts currently forecast a total run between $255 million and $265 million. Such numbers would place the movie ahead of recent major releases like Avatar: The Way of Water. Presales were equally strong at $18.6 million, marking the highest figure for any imported film in the region over the last three summer seasons.
This success follows a period where U.S. superhero movies struggled to gain traction in the Chinese market. Earlier titles faced regulatory hurdles or simply failed to connect with local viewers who increasingly shifted their preference toward domestic productions. Sony and Marvel addressed this by prioritizing the region, offering an early release date and an exclusive Imax launch.
Tom Holland and Zendaya supported the local rollout with a premiere in Shanghai. The production also integrated local talent, with Jackie Chan’s renowned stunt team providing choreography for the film’s action sequences. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the story picks up four years after the events of No Way Home, following a solitary Peter Parker as he manages the weight of his responsibilities in New York.