After webbing up $50 million on Thursday evening, Spider-Man: No Way Home has now scored the second-best opening day in the history of the North American box office. The Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios movie earned a sensational $121.5 million, placing it between Avengers: Endgame ($157.4 million) and Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($119.1 million).
Despite the limitations created by the pandemic, Spider-Man: No Way Home also had the highest opening day ever for December, and current projections - via Deadline - point to a $242 million - $247.5+ million weekend. In terms of records, that would make the wall-crawler's latest movie the fourth-highest domestic debut ever behind the last two Avengers movies and The Force Awakens.
The box office as a whole is benefitting from No Way Home's release, though it's the iconic Marvel Comics superhero that generates the most business with 91% of ticket sales heading its way.
To see a blockbuster pull in numbers like this during the "pandemic era" is simply staggering, and a good indication that it's in the best interests of both Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures to continue sharing Spider-Man. After all, the non-MCU set movie featuring Kraven the Hunter which would have been released had a new agreement not been reached surely wouldn't have been as big a draw.
We'll keep you updated over the weekend as more numbers come in for the threequel, but when Sony Pictures projected a $130 million opening weekend, a $121.5 million opening day means things will only get more amazing from here. Now, we just wait for Spider-Man 4 to get a release date...