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Disney Predicts ‘Spider-Man’ Record Opening “Bodes Well” for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
Disney chief executive Josh D'Amaro has suggested that the record-breaking opening of "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" is a positive sign for "Avengers: Doomsday," Marvel's much-anticipated team-up film due in December. Speaking on the company's quarterly earnings call, D'Amaro praised Sony and Marvel Studios for the film's performance, arguing it demonstrates that audiences will still turn out for strong theatrical releases, and that Spider-Man's enduring popularity bolsters confidence in the wider Marvel slate.
"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" reportedly launched to around $1 billion, a striking result after Marvel's previous three releases—"Captain America: Brave New World," "Thunderbolts" and "The Fantastic Four: First Steps"—were seen as underperforming relative to the studio's historical box office standards. "Avengers: Doomsday," which opens on 18 December, has already generated $19 million in advance premium-format ticket sales. The article also notes potential character crossover between the films, given "Brand New Day" introduces Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, while D'Amaro separately acknowledged that "The Mandalorian and Grogu" and "Moana" underperformed at the box office, though he said both still benefited Disney through merchandise, gaming and theme park revenue.
In short
- Disney says Spider-Man's huge opening bodes well for Avengers: Doomsday
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day launched to roughly $1 billion
- Avengers: Doomsday opens 18 December with $19 million in advance sales
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Spider-Man's $1 billion opening powerfully demonstrates that audiences remain eager for theatrical releases when quality and star power align, providing the validation that studio executives needed. This success directly supports D'Amaro's contention that it augurs well for Avengers: Doomsday—a team-up event film with strong conceptual appeal—especially given the film's impressive $19 million in advance premium-format ticket sales, which suggests genuine consumer confidence ahead of its December release.
The case against
Spider-Man's exceptional performance risks obscuring a troubling pattern: three consecutive Marvel releases underperformed against historical standards, signalling deeper issues with audience fatigue or market conditions that one outlier film may not resolve. Using Spider-Man's success to predict Avengers: Doomsday's prospects is speculative when the broader evidence suggests structural headwinds, and D'Amaro's simultaneous acknowledgement that other prestige releases underperformed suggests the company may be cherry-picking positive narratives rather than confronting systemic challenges.
Explained simply
Marvel Studios is part of Disney, while Sony makes and releases the Spider-Man films through an arrangement with Marvel. Spider-Man is one of Marvel’s best-known characters, and the Avengers are a team of superheroes who have appeared together in several films.
Avengers: Doomsday is a forthcoming Marvel team-up film, scheduled for December. Its prospects matter to Disney because recent Marvel releases have drawn less attention at the cinema than the studio’s biggest past hits, while the company also earns money from its characters through merchandise, games and theme parks.
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