“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” swung into U.S. and Canadian theaters with a staggering box-office debut of US$120.5 million, surpassing the opening weekend of its 2018 animated predecessor by more than three times. This remarkable growth from movie to movie would make even the mightiest of Hollywood franchises green with envy.
Sony Pictures’ “Across the Spider-Verse,” the animated Spider-Man spinoff that delves into the multi-verse, exceeded all expectations, riding on stellar reviews (a fresh rating of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes) and the fervent anticipation for this highly awaited sequel to the Oscar-winning “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”
In the often formulaic landscape of superhero films, “Into the Spider-Verse” injected a burst of originality in 2018. It introduced audiences to Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore), a teenage webslinger from Brooklyn, alongside a punk-rock Gwen Stacy (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld) and a diverse cast of other Spider-People. The film opened with US$35.4 million and went on to earn a global total of $384.3 million.
Expanding upon the film’s universe-hopping concept, “Across the Spider-Verse” was made with a budget of US$100 million, roughly half the cost of the average live-action comic-book adaptation. Even if it had opened at the projected US$80 million, it would still have been considered a success. However, it has surpassed expectations and become a box-office phenomenon, claiming the second-largest domestic opening of 2023, second only to “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, “Across the Spider-Verse” even outperformed “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” which debuted with US$118 million, making it the biggest opening weekend of the summer so far.
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The film, shepherded by writer-producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, serves as the second installment in a trilogy that will conclude with a third chapter set to release next year. “Across the Spider-Verse” also performed exceptionally well internationally, raking in US$88.1 million overseas.
After a dearth of family-friendly offerings in the first half of 2023, theaters are now brimming with entertainment suitable for kids. Last week’s top film, Disney’s live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid,” slid to second place with US$40.6 million in its second weekend.
With an impressive opening of US$95.5 million and US$117.5 million over the four-day Memorial Day weekend, “The Little Mermaid” experienced a 57% drop, partially due to the formidable competition from “Across the Spider-Verse.”
Made with an estimated budget of US$250 million, “The Little Mermaid” garnered mixed reviews but received more enthusiasm from audiences, as evidenced by its “A” CinemaScore. However, international territories, typically fertile ground for previous Disney live-action remakes, proved to be more challenging this time, with the film adding US$42.4 million internationally over the weekend.
Disney also presented an alternative option with “The Boogeyman,” a horror adaptation of a Stephen King short story. Directed by Rob Savage and starring Sophie Thatcher and Chris Messina, the US$35 million film was initially intended for release on Hulu before the studio shifted gears. It opened with US$12.3 million in ticket sales and was generally well-received.
In limited release, the Sundance breakout film “Past Lives” debuted strongly, averaging an impressive US$58,067 per screen across four theaters. Directed by Celine Song, this directorial debut features.
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” US$120.5 million.
“The Little Mermaid,” US$40.6 million.
“The Boogeyman,” US$12.3 million.
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” US$10.2 million.
“Fast X,” US$9.2 million.
“The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” US$3.4 million.
“About My Father,” US$2.1 million.
“The Machine,” US$1.8 million.
“Suga: Agust D Tour Live in Japan,” US$1.2 million.
“You Hurt My Feelings,” US$770,000.
