‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ soars past $2bn at global box office; ‘The Odyssey’ boosted to $1.3bn by China opening

Worldwide box office: Aug 14-16

Credit: Rentrak. All figures are estimates

‘Brand New Day’ is now biggest ‘Spider-Man’ film of all time

Sony Pictures and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day passed $2bn worldwide box office yesterday (August 17) after 19 days of release, becoming the second-fastest film to do so – after Disney/Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame.

Brand New Day is now the eighth biggest film of all time at the worldwide box office, and also the biggest Spider-Man film, having overtaken 2021’s No Way Home ($1.92bn). Comparisons in this report are not adjusted for inflation.

Brand New Day fell 51% at the North American box office with an estimated $70.0m haul for its third weekend of play, and also 51% in international markets with $118.7m.

These numbers take the totals to $785.8m for North America, $1.24bn for international, and $2.02bn worldwide.

Cumulatively, China leads international markets on Brand New Day, with $210m to date. Next comes UK/Ireland with $106.0m, ahead of Mexico ($78.0m), France ($63.7m), India ($59.6m), Brazil ($59.5m), South Korea ($53.2m), Australia and Germany (both 48.8m), Italy ($36.4m) and Spain ($35.2m).

Brand New Day only needs to gross another $31m globally to eclipse 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War ($2.05bn), and then another $19m on top of that to overtake Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens ($2.07bn).

These feats should be easily achieved, and they will make Brand New Day the sixth biggest film of all time at the worldwide box office. Thereafter, the film’s ascent up the all-time chart becomes slower. The fifth-biggest film, Titanic, grossed $2.26bn across its various releases.

‘The Odyssey’ boosted by China opening

Universal’s The Odyssey opened in its latest major market, China, at the weekend, grossing an estimated $36.6m including $7.6m in previews from the previous weekend.

The China opening helped Christopher Nolan’s film achieve an estimated $98.2m across international markets (dropping 25% in holdover territories). The global weekend haul is $121.4m, including $23.2m in North America (falling 27%).

The International total ($786.2m) is now stretching ahead of domestic North America ($504,7m). Worldwide, The Odyssey has reached $1.29bn – making it the 27^th biggest film of all time.

Imax screens performed very strongly with the film in China, accounting for $19.3m (53%) of the $36.6m opening haul. Globally, Imax has grossed $346.4m with The Odyssey – 26% of the worldwide total. It’s the highest-grossing film of all time on Imax, and the only one to exceed $300m.

In holdover markets, South Korea, in its second weekend of play, grossed an estimated $15.7m, rising 8% from the opening session. Total after two weekends in South Korea is $34.0m.

Cumulatively, UK/Ireland continues to lead international markets, and has now reached $92.5m. Next come France ($68.5m), Italy (punching above its usual weight with $55.4m), Germany ($45.7m) and Australia ($37.1m). Spain ($34.0m) has just overtaken Mexico ($33.8m).

A week ago, The Odyssey overtook 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises ($1.09bn) to become the biggest Nolan film of all time. Now the gap between the two films has stretched to more than $200m, and rising. The Odyssey benefits not just from general ticket-price inflation since 2012, but the rise of premium formats, and especially the popularity of the film on Imax.

‘The End Of Oak Street’ stomps to $47m debut

Warner Bros’ The End Of Oak Street has made a solid start at the worldwide box office, opening with an estimated $47.0m – comprising $26.0m across international markets plus $21.0m in North America.

This makes the dinosaur adventure substantially the highest-grossing film ever from writer-director David Robert Mitchell, instantly eclipsing 2014’s It Follows ($22.0m lifetime worldwide according to available data).

With a producer roster including JJ Abrams, The End Of Oak Street is also substantially the biggest-budget film from Mitchell – reports variously place it between $80m and $92m. Given revenue sharing with cinemas and marketing costs, the film still has a long road to achieve profitability.

So far, UK/Ireland is the top international market for The End Of Oak Street, opening with an estimated $2.9m, ahead of Mexico ($2.7m), France ($2.3m), Japan ($1.9m), China ($1.4m), Spain ($1.2m) and Australia ($1.1m).

Among markets yet to release, South Korea (opening on August 20) is the most notable.

Set in suburban Michigan in 1982, the film stars Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor as parents who discover their neighbourhood is surrounded by a prehistoric landscape. 

‘Once Upon A Time In The Middle East’ delivers strong opening in China

The End Of Oak Street lost out on third place in the worldwide box office chart, thanks to the successful release in China of Once Upon A Time In The Middle East.

This latest from Wen Muye (Dying To Survive) grossed an estimated $66.7m in China over the weekend period, and a powerful $130.3m in total since release last Tuesday (August 11).

Shen Teng (Pegasus franchise) stars as a Chinese chef who travels overseas to pay off his debts, opening a Chinese restaurant in Bahata, the fictional capital of an unnamed Middle Eastern country. After war with the US breaks out, the restaurant gives shelter to the local children as fighting closes in around them.

Filming took place in China and Egypt, and stars Chinese and Egyptian actors, speaking Chinese, Arabic and English.

The film represents a change of pace for Shen Teng, best known for comedic roles in the likes of Goodbye Mr Loser and Hi, Mom. Wen Muye contributed a segment to patriotic hit My People, My Country. Dying To Survive was feted at the Golden Horse Awards in 2018, winning several categories including original screenplay and new director.

Once Upon A Time In The Middle East is one of four films from Asia in the current worldwide top 10 chart. It is joined by Chinese animation All Wishes Come True!, and a pair of new Indian films: Niitin Kakkar’s action sequel Awarapan 2 and Venky Atluri’s Tamil-language romantic drama Vishwanath & Sons (see chart).

‘Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie’ expands to North America

Paramount Pictures’ Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie expanded from 30 to 53 markets at the weekend, including North America where it opened with an estimated $20.5m. Weekend worldwide takings of $36.0m take the total so far to $69.0m.

Among other new openings, Mexico led with an estimated $1.4m, ahead of Brazil ($950,000). In cumulative, China leads international markets with $8.7m to date, just ahead of France ($8.0m). Trailing this pair are UK/Ireland ($4.3m after two weekends), Germany ($3.9m) and Japan ($3.2m).

Next major markets to release are Italy (September 9) and Australia (September 10).

The Dino Movie is chasing the $144.4m worldwide lifetime total achieved in 2021 by Paw Patrol: The Movie and the $205.1m reached two years later by Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie.

• ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ vaults to number four in all-time US box office rankings