In a year that has seen superhero movies from both Marvel and DC struggle commercially, one film has exceeded all expectations. Sony’s ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ has surpassed the $400 million milestone at the global box office in just under two weeks since its release. Surpassing its predecessor, ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,’ both domestically and worldwide, the animated superhero sequel has achieved remarkable success.
Initial predictions for ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ projected an opening weekend earning of approximately $80 million. However, the film went on to amass a phenomenal $120 million. This remarkable debut places it as the second-largest opening of 2023, trailing behind another underestimated animated hit: ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie.’ With a current global box office revenue of over $1.3 billion, the latter remains the biggest success of the year. Meanwhile, ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ has already accumulated $240 million domestically and an additional $164 million from international markets, totaling an impressive $405 million worldwide.
In its second weekend, the film faced tough competition from Paramount’s ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,’ which claimed the top spot with a $60.5 million debut. Nevertheless, ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ remained close behind, experiencing only a 54% decline in its sophomore weekend. This drop is significantly smaller than the 60% to 70% decline often seen in live-action Marvel movies. The film achieved a weekend gross of $55 million. By comparison, ‘Into the Spider-Verse’ concluded its theatrical run with $190 million domestically and $385 million globally. While the difference might not seem substantial—considering the notorious failure of ‘Black Adam,’ which earned just $9 million more globally—’Into the Spider-Verse’ had a relatively modest production budget of $90 million, unlike Dwayne Johnson’s expensive DC film, which is rumored to have cost $260 million. Although Sony has high hopes for the sequel, ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ did not receive an exorbitant increase in its production budget. Reportedly, the movie was made for $100 million (excluding marketing expenses).
Image via Sony Pictures
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Turns Out Audiences Enjoy Critically Acclaimed Films
Similar to ‘Into the Spider-Verse,’ which received ecstatic reviews and went on to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ is also a strong contender for awards. The movie currently boasts a “fresh” rating of 96% on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Ross Bonaime from FilmSweep describes it as “one of the best animated films in years” and suggests it may even contend for the title of “best superhero film ever.”
The story follows Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) on a thrilling adventure through multiple dimensions alongside Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), as they encounter various versions of Spider-Man along the way. Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, and co-written and co-produced by fan favorites Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the film also features the voices of Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Vélez, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, Karan Soni, Daniel Kaluuya, and Oscar Isaac. Check out our interview with Moore and Steinfeld here, and stay tuned to FilmSweep for further updates.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about box office success
How much money has ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ earned at the global box office?
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ has surpassed the $400 million mark at the global box office in just under two weeks since its release.
How does the box office performance of ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ compare to its predecessor?
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ has outperformed its predecessor, ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,’ both domestically and globally.
What was the opening weekend earnings for ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’?
While the initial projection for the opening weekend was around $80 million, the film ended up grossing a phenomenal $120 million.
How does the box office success of ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ compare to other movies released in 2023?
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ had the second-biggest debut of 2023, following another animated hit, ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie.’ However, the latter remains the biggest hit of the year with over $1.3 billion at the global box office.
What is the critical reception of ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’?
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ has received positive reviews, currently holding a “fresh” rating of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. It is considered one of the best animated films in years and a strong contender for various awards.
Who are the key creative talents behind ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’?
The film is directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson. It is co-written and co-produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, known for their successful animated projects. The movie features notable voice talents including Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, and Oscar Isaac.
More about box office success
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – IMDb
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – IMDb
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie – IMDb
- Rotten Tomatoes: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
- Collider: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
