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Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO on Success of ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’: The Movie Is ‘Emotional’ and ‘Some People Come Away Crying’
Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Ravi Ahuja has credited the huge box-office success of "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" to its emotional depth, saying the film sets itself apart from other recent superhero releases and leaves some audience members in tears. Speaking at the BofA Securities 2026 Media, Communications & Entertainment Conference in New York, Ahuja said the result far exceeded the studio's expectations, underlining the strength of the Spider-Man franchise as one of Sony's most valuable properties alongside "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune".
The film has taken more than $2.4 billion worldwide, making it the third-biggest theatrical release of all time, and was released on a record 80,000-plus screens globally. Ahuja praised director Destin Daniel Cretton, stars including Tom Holland, Zendaya and Sadie Sink, and producers Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal, while noting no release date has yet been set for a sequel, though a new Spider-Verse film is due next year. He also discussed Sony's exclusive worldwide "pay-one" streaming deal with Netflix, arguing that the studio's independence from its own streaming platform, and its focus on a smaller slate of major theatrical releases, gives it valuable flexibility and creative risk-taking that larger, vertically integrated rivals lack. Ahuja added that Sony is not currently pursuing large-scale mergers or acquisitions.
In short
- "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has grossed over $2.4 billion, the third-highest ever
- Sony CEO says the film's emotional tone drove its unexpected success
- Sony defends its Netflix "pay-one" streaming deal and independent studio model
Explained simply
Spider-Man is a long-running Marvel character whose films are made by Sony Pictures, while Marvel Studios also works with Sony on some projects. Sony is a major film and television company, and the character is among its most valuable properties.
The films combine superhero action with stories about personal relationships and responsibility. Sony’s approach to releasing films in cinemas and licensing them to streaming services is part of a wider debate about how studios finance and distribute entertainment.
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