Spider-Man helps cinemas smash another Australian box office record

Remember when streaming was supposed to kill cinemas?

Someone forgot to tell Australian audiences.

The local box office has now cracked $100 million for a record fourth consecutive month, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day delivering the second-biggest opening weekend in Australian history and helping cement 2026 as cinema's strongest year since the pandemic.

The blockbuster took $30.4 million across its Thursday-to-Sunday opening, attracting 1.46 million admissions. The result ranks second only to Avengers: Endgame's $34 million debut in 2019, helping drive the Australian weekend box office to $39.2 million, the second-largest weekend on record.

Saturday 1 August alone generated $12.6 million, making it the biggest single day in Australian box office history. Globally, Spider-Man: Brand New Day opened to $927 million, the second-biggest worldwide debut ever behind Avengers: Endgame.

And let's not forget that all of this arrives hot off the back of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, which became the highest-grossing IMAX film of all time in just over two weeks.

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A record-breaking run

The latest figures also pushed July beyond $131 million, marking the fourth straight month above $100 million and the industry's strongest month since the Barbenheimer phenomenon in July 2023.

Guy Burbidge, Managing Director of Val Morgan Cinema, told Mediaweek the latest performance demonstrated cinema's enduring ability to create shared cultural moments.

"Pure and simple, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is yet another example of a huge cultural moment that cinema is famous for," Burbidge said.

"It delivers brands all the right media ingredients - urgency, anticipation, excitement, experience and conversation. On the strength of these fantastic weekend results, we have increased our delivery expectations; the brands that are leaning in are benefitting from what is on track to be the biggest film of the year."

He said the success built on an already strong year.

"This result builds on an exceptional period for the industry," Burbidge said.

"The results throughout this year have been consistently strong, with first half audiences up 16% year on year, and now with the release of The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, that momentum is carrying well into the second half."

Burbidge said early ticket sales signalled demand well before opening weekend.

"We kind of knew it was going to be a big one a couple of weeks ago with the pre-sales," he said.

"There was a lot of talk about it, and I think probably quite a lot of hope, and just excitement, and sometimes those don't quite reach what you've always wanted, but now the proof is there."

Why audiences are coming back

For Hoyts CEO Damian Keogh, the latest success is as much about the strength of the film as the strength of the franchise.

"We knew it was going to be big because out of all the Marvel superheroes, Spider-Man just has this incredible following," Keogh told Mediaweek.

"I've spoken to a lot of people, some who've got kids in their 30s who were bought tickets as soon as they went on sale. So the film is inter-generational. But, as always, at the end, the movie has to deliver, and this movie really delivers."

He said the film's emotional storyline had broadened its appeal.

"It's a real heartfelt story," he said.

"There's action in it, which you expect in these superhero movies, but the underlying heart of the movie is the relationship between Tom [Holland] and Zendaya."

For those not in the know, Holland and Zendaya are married off-screen and play each other's love interests in the film.

Burbidge believes broader industry trends are also working in cinema's favour.

“What you are seeing is the continued stabilisation of the theatrical windows, which is continuing to give confidence to the industry but also consumers who know that the best place to see this great content is in the cinema,” he said.

Keogh said 2026 represented the industry's first genuinely uninterrupted release schedule since COVID-19.

Young audiences lead the charge

One of the strongest themes emerging from this year's data is the return of younger audiences.

According to figures presented during the briefing, 66% of admissions so far this year have come from moviegoers under 40, while youth audiences have grown 33% year-on-year. Much of that growth has been fuelled by YouTube-originated hits Obsession and The Backroom.

"We are seeing an encouraging dynamic of Gen Z and Gen X driving that movie-going experience," Keogh said.

"It feels like the younger generation, who spend all this time on their phones probably locked away in their bedrooms scrolling, are really craving that immersive experience."

Burbidge said younger audiences increasingly wanted to be part of the cultural conversation.

"I think we are at our absolute best where you've got an obsession in the backrooms, where kids are running out trying to get to this, because they want to be part of the conversation," he said.

"It's come from nowhere - a YouTuber creating a film - and it's just gone absolutely berserk globally."

Keogh said premium cinema experiences were also helping differentiate cinemas from streaming.

"We have great cinemas in Australia, and we've renovated a lot," he said.

"We have additional screening options now, with things like Screen X, which is a 270-degree projection, which is amazing for Spider-Man. We've got D-Box, which are the motion seats. There are a lot of different ways that people can experience films and realise that they can't get that same experience at home."

Burbidge said packed sessions were becoming part of cinema's appeal.

"The best thing for me is also just to listen to people go, I tried to get in and I couldn't," he said.

"There's nothing more glorious than that, because I've tried, and I can't get into see IMAX until the end of August."

A message for advertisers

For advertisers, Burbidge said blockbuster releases continue to deliver premium audience attention.

"Cinema delivers great value. We believe we deliver the greatest value in terms of attention, outcomes, et cetera.

“If you'd picked a moment like Spider-Man, you would have benefitted from the additional audience value that a headline CPM buy analysis wouldn't necessarily have picked up - those brands that have leant in have smashed it,” he said.

Val Morgan is continuing to expand premium sponsorship opportunities around major film releases through its Follow Film product, alongside IMAX partnerships, luxury cinema experiences, glasses-free 3D activations and outdoor cinema integrations.

The pipeline ahead

The industry's confidence extends well beyond Spider-Man.

Upcoming releases include The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping on 19 November, followed by Focker In-Law and Hexed a week later, before Dune: Part Three and Avengers: Doomsday launch together on 17 December in what Val Morgan has dubbed "Dunesday".

Summer 2026-27 is forecast to generate more than 20 million admissions, up 15% year-on-year.

"In the coming months we have The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, Digger, The Social Reckoning, Focker In-Law and then 'Dunesday', when Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three both arrive in cinemas on the same day - December 17 - creating what will be the year's biggest cultural event," Burbidge said.

Keogh believes the industry has regained the momentum it lost during the pandemic.

"Everyone's feeling really good about the industry at the moment," he said.

"The momentum is back in a big way, and I'm very encouraged that it will continue."