‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Swings to China’s Biggest Superhero Opening in Seven Years
Spider-Man: Brand New Day has opened in China to the strongest box-office results for a US superhero film in seven years, signalling renewed Chinese appetite for Hollywood comic-book blockbusters after a prolonged slump. The film took over $16.5 million (RMB 112 million) by midday on its Wednesday debut, with local tracker Maoyan forecasting a $37.4 million first-day haul, far outstripping any Marvel or DC release since Spider-Man: Far From Home's $36 million opening in 2019.
Box-office forecasters are predicting an even larger overall run, with Maoyan projecting an eventual China total of $255 million and rival tracker Dengta estimating over $265 million, which would make it Hollywood's biggest China release since Avengers: Endgame in 2019. The strong showing follows years of weak Chinese returns for US superhero films, partly due to a Marvel release ban from mid-2019 to early 2023, and after predecessor Spider-Man: No Way Home never received a Chinese release amid reported censorship disputes. Sony and Marvel gave China the earliest global release date for the new film, two days ahead of North America, reflecting the strategic importance placed on the market.
In short
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day had China's biggest superhero opening in seven years
- First-day earnings topped $16.5 million, with a $37.4 million day-one forecast
- Trackers predict a total China gross of $255-265 million
Explained simply
China is one of the world's largest film markets and crucial for Hollywood blockbusters to achieve global commercial success. For the past several years, however, US superhero films have struggled there, generating significantly lower revenues than in previous decades.
This decline partly resulted from a ban on Marvel releases in China that lasted from mid-2019 to early 2023. Additionally, Spider-Man: No Way Home, the previous film in this franchise, never received a Chinese release amid reported censorship disputes, leaving Chinese audiences without a new Spider-Man film for nearly seven years.
The return of major Hollywood superhero films to Chinese cinemas represents a significant moment for both the studios and the market. Audience response to the film will help demonstrate whether international appetite for these blockbusters has endured despite years of limited availability in this key market.
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