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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has swung into theaters, captivating audiences and shattering industry expectations with its remarkable opening weekend performance.
With an estimated $120.5 million in the domestic market, the film has achieved the eighth-best all-time opening for an animated feature. This triumph serves as a testament to the enduring popularity of the Spider-Man franchise and the undeniable appeal of the Spider-Verse concept.
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An Overview of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a highly anticipated 2023 American computer-animated superhero film produced by Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation, in collaboration with Marvel Entertainment.
Serving as the sequel to the critically acclaimed Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), the film takes place in the Spider-Verse, a shared multiverse of alternate universes.
The movie follows Miles Morales, voiced by Shameik Moore, as he embarks on a thrilling adventure with Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman. Together, they encounter a new team of Spider-People known as the Spider-Society, led by Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099.
The film showcases unique visual styles for each universe visited and features a star-studded cast. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse premiered on May 30, 2023, to critical acclaim and is set to be followed by a third film and a female-focused spin-off.
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Plot of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse takes audiences on a thrilling adventure through multiple dimensions. In Earth-65, Gwen Stacy, known as Spider-Woman, battles the Vulture and reveals her identity to her father, who tries to apprehend her.
Meanwhile, in Earth-1610, Miles Morales grapples with his responsibilities as Spider-Man and encounters the Spot, a scientist seeking revenge. As the two Spider-People cross paths, they join forces with a team of Spider-Men from different universes.
Facing challenges and canon events that threaten the fabric of the multiverse, they must unite to save their worlds. With high-stakes action and surprising twists, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse delivers an exhilarating cinematic experience.
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Impressive Opening Weekend
Now, let’s find out what this movie did in its first week of release!
Smashing Industry Projections with Stellar Opening
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has exceeded industry expectations and delivered one of the best openings of the year, reaffirming the strength of animation at the box office.
The film, directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, received rave reviews and garnered immense audience support, solidifying its position as a box-office success.
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Exceptional Box Office Performance in the U.S
In the United States, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse earned an estimated $120.5 million from 4,313 theaters, achieving a remarkable $27,938 per-theater average.
If these numbers hold when final figures are released, the film will secure the eighth-best all-time domestic opening for an animated feature. This achievement is even more remarkable considering that no Sony Pictures Animation (SPA) film has ever cracked the top 50 for U.S. animated openings.
The previous highest-grossing opening for a SPA film was Hotel Transylvania 2, which debuted with $48.4 million in 2015. Even the first installment of Spider-Verse, despite its success, premiered with a modest $35.3 million in 2018.
Joining the ranks of studios like Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, and Illumination, Sony’s $100 million+ launch places them in a select group.
Theatrical Release for Sony Pictures Animation
Equally noteworthy is the fact that this movie is SPA’s first animated feature released in theaters since 2019’s The Angry Birds Movie 2.
The studio’s subsequent four features were directly streamed, with The Mitchells vs. the Machines, Wish Dragon, and Vivo finding a home on Netflix, and Hotel Transylvania: Transformania being released on Prime Video.
The exceptional performance of Spider-Verse dispels any concerns about the impact of a streaming-first strategy on a studio’s return to theatrical distribution.
The film’s success can be attributed to various factors, including the overwhelmingly positive reviews it received.
However, as demonstrated by recent examples such as The Super Mario Bros. Movie, reviews alone do not dictate animation box office performance. Audiences are drawn to established intellectual properties, and few are currently bigger than Marvel.
Besides, audiences thoroughly enjoyed Spider-Verse, evident from the A CinemaScore it received (Into the Spider-Verse received an A+) and the 82% definite recommendation from Comscore PostTrak’s exit polling.
Also, a comprehensive and extensive marketing campaign contributed to the film’s triumph. Notable partnerships with Fortnite, ESPN, Burger King, Hyundai, and Nike showcased the film to a wide audience.
The “Spider Society Ambassador Program,” involving over two hundred celebrities and influencers, including Bad Bunny, Guillermo del Toro, Stephen Curry, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Tiffany Haddish, and Priyanka and Nick Jonas, further bolstered the film’s visibility and generated anticipation among fans.
Performance in International Markets
Internationally, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse launched in 59 markets and generated an impressive $88.1 million. Notable top markets included China ($17.3 million), Mexico ($11.6 million), and the U.K. ($11.5 million).
The film is yet to open in several major territories, including Japan and South Korea. With a total global haul of $208.6 million in its first weekend, including the domestic box office, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has proven its universal appeal and worldwide success.
Overtaking Frozen
In a final box office note, NBCUniversal and Illumination’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie added $11.7 million to its global total over the weekend, reaching an impressive $1.30 billion.
This milestone makes it the third-highest-grossing animated film of all time, surpassing Disney’s Frozen, which earned $1.29 billion.
The only two animated films to have grossed more than Super Mario are the CG remake of The Lion King ($1.66 billion) and Frozen II ($1.45 billion). The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s remarkable achievement further highlights the continued dominance of animated films at the global box office.
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Conclusion
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has swung into the hearts of audiences worldwide, leaving a lasting impression with its incredible opening weekend.
The film’s astonishing box office performance not only exceeded industry projections but also showcased the enduring strength of animation at the box office.
With its record-breaking domestic opening and stellar international reception, it has firmly established itself as a powerhouse in the world of animated films.
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