After hitting the big screen this summer, Spider-Man: Brand New Day has become the second most successful superhero movie of all time, with many calling it the best Spider-Man movie since Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man 2. But what makes it so special? Well, Sony executive Tom Rothman thinks he has the answer.
"The reason that movie has resonated all around the world is because it’s about a lonely guy," said the CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Motion Picture Group to Variety. "It’s about friendship. It’s very human. It’s very emotional. It’s got plenty of whiz-bang, but that’s not what the secret is. The secret is it’s a relatable story that almost everybody has related to." Rothman added that it's "not so much a superhero film, but a ‘super-person’ film."
Welcoming back Tom Holland as the web-slinging hero, Brand New Day picks up five years after Spider-Man: No Way Home, when Doctor Strange erased the whole world's memory of Spider-Man, and, in turn, Peter Parker. Without his girlfriend MJ and best friend Ned, Parker lives a lonely life where he has no choice but to throw himself into full-time crime-fighting while his loved ones live their best lives at university. Parker doesn't even have Aunt May or Tony Stark to turn to.
Of course, the MCU has explored human struggle before, but Brand New Day really hits the nail on the head when it comes to the transition from high school to adult life. Although we cannot relate to the weight of responsibility that comes with Spider-Man's great power, we can all see ourselves in Parker. We are flung from comfort into adulthood, and not knowing your place in the world can be very isolating and scary. This is explored with Sadie Sink's Jean Grey too, whose yearning for family causes her to turn New York City on its head.
Brand New Day is approaching its sixth week in theaters, after premiering on July 29 in the UK and July 31 in the US. So far, the movie has earned a whopping $2.4 billion worldwide, as per Box Office Mojo, making it the second most successful superhero movie of all time. Avengers: Endgame still holds that title with $2.8 billion. However, Brand New Day remains in cinemas, so Spidey still has time to take the crown.
For more, check out our Spider-Man: Brand New Day review, our Spider-Man: Brand New Day ending explained, and our guide on how to watch Marvel movies in order.
