Aunt May says it best in Spider-Man: No Way Home, “With great power, comes great responsibility”.
Sony for some time knew they had a massive hit on their hands with Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, and while some studios had to sell pics to streamers to stay alive during the pandemic, or even more desperate, had to feed their streaming service with a theatrical-day-and-date release, the Culver City lot greatly protected their crown jewel, and both studio and the challenged exhibition sector will be the richer for it.
Spider-Man: No Way Home, as we already told you, charted the 2nd best opening at the domestic box office with $260M, unseating Avengers: Infinity War, and saw the 3rd highest opening around the globe with $600.8M. Analysts are already talking that it’s bound to be the first $1 billion-grossing movie during the pandemic. Overall, it’s the biggest opening Sony has posted in its studio history. Domestically, projections are ranging from $713M-$950M.
“In the face of obviously challenging circumstances, this victory is even more impressive and a great testament to the continued cultural impact that theatrical films deliver. Their power does, and will, endure,” writes Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group Chairman and CEO Tom Rothman this morning in an email, praising staffers, “Spidey and Sony have struck a mighty blow to demonstrate just that.”
You can read Rothman’s letter below:
Dear Colleagues,
I want to congratulate each and every one of you this morning, in our offices around the world and here in Culver City. As you all know, Spider-man: No Way Home, roared to historic box office success this weekend, setting multiple records across the globe in the first days of its exclusive theatrical window. In the face of obviously challenging circumstances, this victory is even more impressive and a great testament to the continued cultural impact that theatrical films deliver. Their power does, and will ,endure. Spidey and Sony have struck a mighty blow to demonstrate just that.
I would like to thank our producing and filmmaker partners for their extraordinary efforts, Tony and Tokyo for their support, and especially all of you for your hard work and dedication throughout the year. Your belief has been our superpower. It is the holiday season and I’m sure you join me in feeling proud that Sony can help bring joy to audiences with this wonderful film.
I close by wishing all of you a happy and healthy holiday season.
Excelsior,
Tom