"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" opened with $360 million domestically, the biggest domestic debut in box office history, according to Tom's Guide. Analysts cited in the report predict the film could ultimately gross more than $2 billion worldwide. One week after release, the film had already become the year's biggest movie, taking in $1.188 billion worldwide, per a separate Tom's Guide report.
The film's success is being viewed as a much-needed win for the Marvel Cinematic Universe after several years of struggle following 2020's "Avengers: Endgame." The movie also introduces Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, initially portrayed as a villain before her backstory is revealed, a character seen as a taster for a planned X-Men film reportedly rumored for a 2028 release.
Attention now turns to "Avengers: Doomsday," due December 18, which leads into next year's "Avengers: Secret Wars," widely expected to function as a soft reboot of the MCU. The film underwent a retooling: originally planned as "Avengers: The Kang Dynasty" with Kang the Conqueror as the villain, it was reworked after Kang failed to land with audiences, bringing in Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom and Chris Evans returning as Steve Rogers. A limited presale of premium-format tickets for "Doomsday" generated $16.5 million in a single day, according to the report.
Tom's Guide's analysis frames these two films as strong sub-brands that can succeed even when the broader MCU struggles, noting that Phases 4 and 5 included box office disappointments such as "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" and "Captain America: Brave New World," as well as financial bombs like "Eternals" and "The Marvels." Disney+ series output was also described as a mixed bag, with even acclaimed shows like "Wonder Man" failing to draw sufficient viewers. Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige reportedly acknowledged that last year's "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" underperformed at the box office.
The report also notes broader industry pressures, pointing to rival DC's "Supergirl," which grossed $125 million on a budget of around $180 million and marked the first audience rejection for the new DCU. Despite the strong start for "Brand New Day" and anticipation for "Doomsday," Tom's Guide stops short of declaring the MCU fully back, arguing that true recovery would require success beyond its most reliable franchises, such as turning lesser-known properties into box office draws the way "Guardians of the Galaxy" once was.