Spider-Man: No Way Home Smashed A Pandemic Record With Eye-Popping Box Office Haul

It's been a long time coming, but "Spider-Man: No Way Home" has finally swung into theaters — and to an extraordinary reception. The film gained a coveted Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics raving about this latest MCU installment. Whether you couldn't resist the leaked spoilers or managed to go into the film completely unaware, "No Way Home" was undoubtedly everything a devoted Spider-Man fan could have hoped for, and more.

A cinematic event the likes of "Avengers: Endgame," "No Way Home" has proven itself to be the can't-miss film of the holiday season. If you were the first in line at your local theater to see the film for yourself, you certainly weren't alone. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly challenging for movie theaters, it seems the lure of another Peter Parker adventure was enough to get people to put on their masks and get into the theater. "No Way Home" has officially smashed box office records, but we can't say we're surprised.

Updated: This article has been updated to reflect the revised box office figures.

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, "Spider-Man: No Way Home" grossed $253 million domestically, a figure that was later revised upward to $260 million. This makes "No Way Home" the second-biggest box office opening of all time, bested only by fellow MCU titles "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame." Internationally, the film fared equally as well grossing $334.2 million for a global total of $587.2 million, not including China. That makes "No Way Home" the third-highest global opening ever, not adjusted for inflation (via THR). In pandemic times, these kinds of numbers are essentially unheard of. The Spider-three-quel demolished previous record-holder "Venom: Let There Be Carnage," which only managed about $90 million in its opening weekend.

Of the film's mammoth success, Sony Pictures chair-CEO Tom Rothman said, "This weekend's historic results, from all over the world and in the face of many challenges, reaffirm the unmatched cultural impact that exclusive theatrical films can have when they are made and marketed with vision and resolve." During the pandemic, many films have moved to a dual theatrical and streaming release, though as Rothman points out, box office success is still possible even amid all the uncertainty caused by COVID-19. 

Film audiences have been familiar with Peter Parker since Sam Raimi's 2002 hit "Spider-Man," and "No Way Home" is an unmatched event for those who grew up loving the web-slinger. Seeing the film in theaters was an incredible experience, but we're still looking forward to its eventual arrival on streaming, so we can continue to enjoy the film again and again.