Updated

Updated · CNBC · Aug 10

The Odyssey Tops $7 Million in China as Nolan Interview Draws 1 Million Bilibili Views

Updated

Updated · CNBC · Aug 10

The Odyssey Tops $7 Million in China as Nolan Interview Draws 1 Million Bilibili Views

Q: How did a missing prequel secretly fuel Spider-Man's massive $185 million box office resurrection in China?

The “missing prequel” was *Spider-Man: No Way Home*, which never received a theatrical release in China. That absence appears to have created pent-up demand that *Spider-Man: Brand New Day* is now cashing in on. Chinese audiences last saw a mainline Spider-Man film in cinemas with *Far From Home* in 2019, which made $199 million there. The follow-up, despite becoming a $1.92 billion global hit, was blocked from Chinese release, leaving a gap of several years in the franchise’s local theatrical story. Trade reporting says *Brand New Day* benefited from that unmet demand for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man return, especially at a time when most recent Hollywood superhero films had underperformed in China. Sony also amplified that momentum with a China-focused release strategy. The film opened in China two days before North America, secured an exclusive early Imax push while U.S. premium screens were tied up by *The Odyssey*, and drew strong presales of $18.6 million, the best for an imported film over the past three summers. Holland and Zendaya also promoted the film in Shanghai, helping raise visibility. The result was a $121.3 million five-day debut and a $185.4 million total after 12 days, already nearing *Far From Home*’s full China gross. In a market where U.S. superhero titles have largely struggled since 2020, *Brand New Day* looks less like a standard sequel and more like the delayed theatrical payoff for a Spider-Man chapter Chinese moviegoers never got to see.

3 articles · Updated · CNBC · Aug 10

"The Odyssey" has made more than $7 million in China after two weekends of limited screenings ahead of its Aug. 14 release, with some premium showings nearly sold out despite no 70mm IMAX screens.
1 million-plus Bilibili views for Christopher Nolan's Beijing interview with podcaster Yiyang Zhuge added buzz, highlighting a more unconventional local-media push than Universal's reported U.S. strategy.
14 Hollywood films played on IMAX screens in mainland China in the first half, up from two a year earlier, as thawing U.S.-China ties encouraged stars and studios to court the market again.
China's box office still fell 40% in the first half, and recent Hollywood titles including "Marty Supreme" and "Devil Wears Prada 2" struggled, underscoring how uneven the recovery remains.