Kevin Feige Talks SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY's Record-Breaking Debut, Tom Holland's Future, and the Road to AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY

The Marvel Cinematic Universe just pulled off another jaw-dropping milestone, and once again, Kevin Feigeis the one celebrating at the center of it.

Spider-Man: Brand New Daydidn't just have a huge opening weekend. It shattered one of Marvel's biggest records by pulling in an incredible $360 million domestically during its first weekend, edging past Avengers: Endgame's legendary $357 million debut to become the biggest opening weekend in box office history.

That also means Feige now holds the top four biggest opening weekends ever, which is an unbelievable statistic no matter how you look at it.

Even more impressive, Brand New Day has already earned $932 million worldwide after only three days in theaters, putting it on a fast track toward the billion-dollar club and potentially much higher.

After the film's historic launch, Feige spoke about the massive success, Tom Holland's future as Spider-Man, why Marvel worked so hard to keep Sadie Sink's role under wraps, and how Brand New Day is paving the road toward the next era of the MCU.

When asked if he ever believed another movie would surpass the opening weekend of Avengers: Endgame, especially after the challenges theaters faced over the past several years, Feige admitted he never saw it coming.

"I didn’t — for all the reasons I don’t think anyone did, because of COVID, because of the beating that theatrical took for so long. But once the bar had been raised, it could be raised again, right?

“The first movie to ever cross $100 million over opening weekend was Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man. The first to cross $150 million in one weekend was Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3. The first to $200 million was the first Avengers. And then, of course, the first to $300 million was Endgame.

“We did think that things could increase, but the past five or six years didn’t necessarily feel like that was the case. That’s a long-winded way of saying I did not expect Endgame’s record to be beat, but I couldn’t be happier that it was beat this past weekend by our 38th MCU movie."

It's a pretty incredible that Spider-Man continues to redefine what blockbuster openings can look like. From Sam Raimi's trilogy helping establish modern box office records to Tom Holland now setting a brand-new benchmark, the wall-crawler keeps finding ways to make history.

As for why this latest adventure connected with audiences on such a massive scale, Feige gave plenty of credit to the filmmakers and the character himself.

"It’s a testament to [director] Destin Daniel Cretton, Tom Holland, and [producer] Amy Pascal. And [Sony Pictures chairman] Tom Rothman, for letting us do this four times now — working to bring Spidey to the screen. It’s a testament to what Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created all those years ago.

“People can write about changing tastes, but as characters that grow and evolve through the decades, there are none better than the Marvel characters — and none better than Peter Parker. When you find an actor like Tom Holland to bring that character to life, it is the magic formula."

Holland has completely made Peter Parker his own, and audiences clearly aren't ready to let him hang up the suit anytime soon.

Naturally, the next question was whether another Spider-Man movie is already in the cards. Feige didn't announce Spider-Man 5, but he certainly didn't close the door either.

"There are always plans. But right now, he’s going to rest after that global tour. He and Zendaya are going to take a good and restful victory lap, which they very much deserve."

After years of nonstop Marvel productions, worldwide press tours, and one record-breaking release after another, that sounds like a well-earned break before Peter Parker swings back into action.

One of Brand New Day's biggest surprises leading into release was Marvel's determination to keep Sadie Sink's role completely under wraps. Fans spent months guessing who she was playing, and Feige explained why preserving that surprise mattered so much.

"It’s purely about creating the best possible opening weekend experience for the audience. Sadie’s character is one that our fans know has immense significance within the Marvel Universe, and she plays a key role in the future of the MCU. I’m just happy that the secret is finally out and that Sadie can stop dodging the question."

With the mystery finally solved, it'll be exciting to see where Sink's character fits into the larger Marvel story moving forward.

According to Feige, Brand New Day isn't simply another Spider-Man sequel. It's laying important groundwork for what's next.

"For people who’ve seen Brand New Day, they know the storyline leads us into more Spider-Man films and into the future of the MCU. And, I think we’re still in spoiler territory because the movie only just came out, but it leads into another very well-known Marvel franchise created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby."

That's a pretty intriguing tease, and it's already giving Marvel fans plenty to speculate about without spoiling where the story goes.

The conversation also turned toward the current state of superhero movies. After a few years of uneven box office performances across the genre, Feige believes audiences are still eager to show up when the movie delivers.

"I can only speak to Brand New Day, and audiences responded to a movie that’s well-crafted and well-made. They don’t always do that. But when they do, it’s a nice reminder that success builds success.

“The Odyssey, Toy Story 5 and all the great movies that have been in theaters this year reminds people there’s nothing like a shared experience. There’s nothing like a moment for the whole globe to come together."

When asked whether audiences might simply be growing tired of familiar superhero stories, Feige offered a more nuanced perspective.

"Many things can be true at once. I think last year’s Fantastic Four looked and sounded like nothing that had been done in a superhero movie before, and it only [grossed] $521 million. Brand New Day is very directly a part four.

“It picks up right after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, and yet it tells a story that resonates. It’s ultimately about loneliness and the dangers of staying in our apartments by ourselves, looking at our phones. That resonates across cultures and across the globe right now."

It's an interesting point. Spectacle may get audiences through the door, but relatable characters and emotional storytelling are still what keep people invested.

With Avengers: Doomsday arriving this December, Marvel's latest success couldn't come at a better time. Feige certainly sounds optimistic about what lies ahead.

"For Avengers: Doomsday and X Men, it bodes very well. When a shared universe works, these are the results."

Spider-Man: Brand New Day has given Marvel Studios plenty to celebrate, Spider-Man has once again proven why he's one of the most beloved superheroes on the big screen, and if Feige's comments are any indication, this is only the beginning of where Peter Parker's latest adventure is leading.

Source: Variety