Spider-Man: Brand New Day broke countless box office records this summer, receiving overwhelmingly positive praise from fans and critics alike. With a glowing 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes, it ranks among the best-reviewed blockbusters in recent memory.
Is it an Oscar-worthy movie, though? Sony Pictures Chairman and CEO Tom Rotham certainly believes so.
Deadline has confirmed that the studio is launching an "all-out campaign" for Spider-Man: Brand New Day to be considered for "Best Picture" at the 99th Academy Awards. 10 movies are typically nominated in that category, though there's rarely any room for blockbuster fare.
Still, Rothman is confident that Spider-Man: Brand New Day can follow in the footsteps of previous nominees Black Panther and Joker. He told the trade, "The Academy is meant to recognise greatness. So, to be honest, I think it’s greatness. I think it’s received wisdom. If there aren’t people thinking about it, we’re gonna do what we can just to make people think about it."
Rothman continued, "I think it’s also incumbent upon studios who make these kinds of quality commercial films to get people to think about it, and here’s what I ask people when I walk around: 'Are you telling me that there are 10 films this year that are better than this film?'"
As part of the campaign, Sony is holding multiple FYC Q&As with Spider-Man: Brand New Day's filmmakers, though it's unclear how involved Tom Holland and Zendaya will be. They're also going to be busy campaigning for their respective roles in The Odyssey and Dune: Part Three.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day's December re-release is also designed to get people talking about the blockbuster again. The Sony Pictures boss hopes that will give voters the chance to see the movie if they missed it the first time.
"This is really the first of these kinds of movies that I can think of that does not climax in a giant battle," Rothman explained. "In this movie there is no giant action sequence at the end. The climax of this movie is two young people sitting on the edge of a bed, talking to each other, and sharing their deepest pain. This movie is melancholy in that way and beautiful."
"I think people might take Spider-Man for granted, and not only that, I think they make assumptions about it. When you see the movie, those assumptions are undone. It’s a very moving, quite personal film. Destin [Daniel Cretton] is a really personal filmmaker."
"I think wise heads know that quality commercial filmmaking is extremely difficult, and to make a movie like this, never mind the fact that it’s the highest-grossing movie in history of America, forget that," the executive reminded Academy voters. "It’s in the 90s on Rotten Tomatoes for critics; it’s in the 90s on audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Here’s the thing: the movie’s great."
Rothman concluded, "Are there 10 films that are better than this film, just in pure quality? I think when you see movies like F1 and Barbie and Wicked and Bohemian Rhapsody, whatever, getting nominated, well, that is the very reason that the Academy changed to 10."
The previous Spider-Man movies have received Oscar nominations in the Visual Effects and Sound categories. Spider-Man 2 is the only instalment of the franchise to win an Academy Award ("Best Visual Effects"), though 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse did web up the "Best Animated Feature" Oscar.
Whether Spider-Man: Brand New Day can enter the "Best Picture" race remains to be seen, but on the blockbuster front, it will face stiff competition from The Odyssey and Dune: Part Three.