James Cameron once dreamt of making an R-rated Spider-Man movie, but naturally, it didn't materialise because... family audiences. That wouldn't have worked in India either.
Funnily enough, the latest Spider-Man film, "Brand New Day", has surpassed a James Cameron blockbuster — "Avatar: The Way of Water" — to become India's highest-grossing Hollywood film overall.
"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has earned ₹400 crore net in India, while the gross figure has already touched the ₹500 crore mark.
Do you think that R-rated Spider-Man would've done these numbers in India? Without kids? Unlikely.
It goes without saying that the box office performance of the Tom Holland-starrer represents a massive, unprecedented leap for the web-slinger franchise in India. It has not just broken previous Spider-Man records; it has completely redefined the earning potential for Hollywood cinema in the country.
For comparison, the last one, "Spider-Man: No Way Home" (2021), was the undisputed champion in India — and the first solo superhero film to cross Rs 200 crore net here — until the new one came along. "Brand New Day" earned nearly double its net lifetime collection in just... 11 days!
When "No Way Home" came out, it stunned everyone with a ₹32.67 crore net on opening day. "Brand New Day" has completely overtaken that benchmark, netting ₹60.60 crore on its first Thursday.
While "No Way Home" took its entire theatrical run to earn its ₹218 crore net total, "Brand New Day" surpassed that entire lifetime figure in just 4 days over its extended opening weekend.
Interestingly, the Hindi-dubbed version also fetched high footfalls. Unlike earlier entries, which benefited from English-speaking metropolitan and South Indian markets, "Brand New Day" has seen unprecedented support from Hindi-dubbed circuits, expanding its theatrical footprint in B and C cities.
The worldwide figures are even more phenomenal. "Brand New Day" has earned a staggering $1.67 billion. The film is officially the highest-grossing film of 2026 and already the 12th highest-grossing movie of all time.
