‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Set For Historic Moment as MCU Movie Eyes Up ‘Avatar’

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tom holland as peter parker spiderman in spiderman far from home

Credit: Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios

There is just no stopping Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). Ever since its exclusive movie theater release on December 17, December 15 for UK cinemas, the latest Spidey feature from director Jon Watts has consistently outshined and outperformed the competition. And during a busy holiday opening, that is quite a feat.

Now, Spider-Man: No Way Home is set for yet another historic moment as it eyes up the coveted slot currently occupied by James Cameron’s blockbuster, Avatar (2009). Let’s take a look at just how the Spider is poised to catch its prey.

Tom Holland as Spider-Man
Credit: Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures

With Hollywood superstar Tom Holland back in the saddle as Peter Parker AKA the eponymous Spider-Man for a third and final (?) time in Kevin Feige’s Marvel Cinematic Universe, No Way Home was always going to be a relative success. Just how big of a success was unclear, but now, 43 days after release, the MCU behemoth is blitzing its way past multiple accolades including becoming Sony Pictures’ most profitable movie ever.

If Marvel fans were to cast their minds back a year or so, this climactic Marvel event may never have happened. After the deal brokered between Feige’s Marvel Studios, and Amy Pascal and Sony Pictures broke down, it left the final Spidey feature in uncharted waters. The backlash the studios received, as well as Tom Holland’s plea to then-Disney CEO, Bob Iger, got negotiations back on track, and thus, Spider-Man: No Way Home was born. During this time Sony also established Sony’s Spider-Man Universe with the launch of Tom Hardy’s Venom (2018).

Tom holland spider-man
Credit: Marvel Studios / Sony Pictures

Related: Marvel Is Already Changing Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire Scenes in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

For those having already seen Holland back in action as the web-slinger, they will know that the future of both the MCU and Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, are somewhat wide-open — anything could literally happen in either universe now that the crossover of the decade has happened.

And that is perhaps one of the biggest draws of the third outing from Watts — the arrival of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as their respective franchise’s Spider-Man superheroes. Fans already knew most of what was to come in the form of which villains would star, but it was heavily rumored for months that Maguire and Garfield would return. The multi-generation appeal of No Way Home, as well as its popular movie stars — namely Holland and actress Zendaya (MJ) — is likely a big part of just how successful the movie has become, and is still becoming.

Zendaya as MJ Williams (left) and Tom Holland as Spider-Man (right)
Credit: Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures

From the director who helmed Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), No Way Home shattered box office records amid its opening week and is now poised to take on the Avatar giant for the third highest-grossing domestic movie of all time. Currently, Avatar is sat at number three, let’s not forget that Cameron’s technological masterpiece is the highest-grossing movie ever globally, with Avengers: Endgame (2019) and Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens (2015) occupying the second and first spots, respectively.

Zoe Saldana as Neytiri (L) and Sam Worthington as Jake Sully (R) in 'Avatar'
Credit: 20th Century Studios

Related: Fans Pledge ‘Avatar 2’ Swarm Following Clash With Amber Heard Movie

Avatar has a total domestic gross of $760m behind Avengers: Endgame‘s noble $858m, and The Force Awakens‘ $936m. Spider-Man: No Way Home, as Deadline reports, is currently sitting at $735m. The report goes on to suggest just how Spider-Man may clinch a coveted top three spot:

Weekend 7 of No Way Home looks to file $11M (-21%), which is a very similar amount of cash as Force Awakens at the same period in time, $11.1M. Sony is saying $10.4M, -26%, right now, but we’ll see where it is by tomorrow AM. Spider-Man’s 43rd day in release made $2.75M, which is 12% ahead of the $2.46M that Force Awakens did on its 43rd day of play.

Tobey Maguire, Tom Holland, and Andrew Garfield as SPider-man
Credit: Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures

What is also interesting is that even as Spider-Man is level with the current top spot movie, it is playing in more theaters than Star Wars was this far into the release, meaning its trajectory could actually inch it closer to the top two.

The Jon Watts-directed MCU title is also booked in more theaters than Force Awakens at the same point in time; 3,675 locations to 2,556. Between the last weekend in January and the end of President’s Day weekend, Force Awakens pulled in $20.44M

the force awakens battle
Credit: Lucasfilm

Related: Tom Holland Blasts Benedict Cumberbatch’s Movie Role, “I Really Hated You”

As Spider-Man still draws in viewers during the pandemic-era of moviegoing, all eyes will be on the MCU’s next feature, and another sequel at that, with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). It is clear that the fanbase for Doctor Strange is much quieter than two decades worth of Spidey fans but with Benedict Cumberbatch’s turn in No Way Home — and that No Way Home post-credits scene — the sorcerer movie may just be yet another MCU surprise.

Spider-Man: No Way Home
Credit: Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures

Do you think Spider-Man: No Way Home could move past Avatar? Let us know in the comments down below!

Spider-Man: No Way Home is currently in theaters and stars Tom Holland (Peter Parker/Spider-Man), Zendaya (MJ), Jacob Batalon (Ned Leeds), Marisa Tomei (May Parker), Jon Favreau (Happy Hogan), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange), Benedict Wong (Wong), Alfred Molina (Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus), Willem Dafoe (Norman Osborn/Green Goblin), Rhys Ifans (Dr. Curt Connors/Lizard), Thomas Haden Church (Flint Marko/Sandman), Jamie Foxx (Maxwell Dillon/Electro), JK Simmons (J Jonah Jameson), Angourie Rice (Betty Brant), Tony Revolori (Flash Thompson), Tobey Maguire (Peter Parker/Spider-Man), Andrew Garfield (Peter Parker/Spider-Man), and Charlie Cox (Matt Murdock).

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