B&B Theatres CEO Bob Bagby apologized to his staffers in advance. He was bracing for the opening weekend of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and knew everyone would need to work around the clock. That’s no exaggeration: Screenings were scheduled at such odd hours as 8 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. to meet demand.
We just kept selling out,” Bagby recalls. It was tough on the team, but they were happy to see the crowds.” Bagby, whose family has operated the Missouri-based B&B Theaters for more than 100 years, wasn’t sure another movie would ever replicate the breathless hype of 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame.” After all, “Endgame” debuted to a record-setting $357 million domestically before the pandemic upended everything, and the epic Marvel sequel was an anomaly as the culmination of 23 interconnected movies. So imagine Bagby’s delight when he witnessed a similar frenzy around “Brand New Day.” Audiences of all ages came dressed up as Spider-Man (and doled out high-fives to fellow cosplayers), buying themed popcorn buckets (that promptly sold out) and snapping photos to document the fun.
Somehow, someway, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” eclipsed “Endgame’s” all-time opening weekend record with $360 million in North America. The Tom Holland-led adventure has since generated a heroic $2.078 billion globally. But it’s been a long time.” For exhibitor Greg Heckmann, marketing director at California-based Maya Cinemas, the late-summer box office mania was reminiscent of pre-pandemic times for another reason: More than one movie was drawing crowds.
Even as people showed up en masse for “Brand New Day,” they also turned out for Christopher Nolan’s Greek epic “The Odyssey,” with the two blockbusters fueling the biggest collective weekend in box office history. For the first time in a long time, Bagby isn’t met with blank stares when he’s chatting about the newest releases. With “Michael,” he says cleaning staff barely had time to sanitize between shows because customers were staying to dance through the end credits.
Meanwhile “Brand New Day” and “The Odyssey” are bringing back monoculture, with everyone excited about the same piece of entertainment. And I’ve spoken to people who have seen ‘The Odyssey’ more than once, which is a commitment.” (Nolan’s epic is nearly three hours.) “The Odyssey” has been a sensation in its own right, with $1.29 billion globally and counting. Much of the fanfare has revolved around Imax, which has racked up $354 million in revenue, but Heckmann credits Nolan for making “The Odyssey” a must-see on the big screen, no matter the format.
Thanks to blockbusters of all shapes and sizes, including “Backrooms,” “Obsession,” “The Devil Wears Prada 2” and “Toy Story 5,” this summer is the biggest since 2019, with revenues eclipsing $4 billion for just the second time since COVID. Anne Hathaway — the season’s reigning queen, having starred in “Prada,” “The Odyssey,” the sci-fi mystery “The End of Oak Street” and indie musical “Mother Mary” — says the box office resurgence is long overdue. For me, they never went away.
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