British actor Tom Holland and American actress Zendaya have delivered a historic $US927 million ($1.32 billion) worldwide opening with their latest cinematic collaboration, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, according to Sony Pictures. The cultural juggernaut features Peter Parker fighting crime full-time in a world that no longer remembers him, including MJ, played by Zendaya. Alongside this comic book blockbuster, the married couple also star in Universal’s The Odyssey, which is fast approaching the $US1 billion mark globally after grossing $US912 million in three weeks, according to Box Office Mojo.
Box Office Records for Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Spider-Man: Brand New Day hauled a $US355m opening in the US domestic market, ranking as the number two opening of all-time behind 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, according to Sony Pictures data. In Australia, the film shattered local records by grossing $30.4m over its four-day opening weekend starting Thursday. This performance makes it the biggest opening weekend of 2026, the second biggest opening weekend of all-time in Australia, and the largest opening in the 100-year history of Sony Pictures. Critics and audiences have responded warmly, awarding the feature a 90 per cent critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 98 per cent audience rating.
The Global Success of The Odyssey
Simultaneously, the couple stars in The Odyssey, which secured Universal’s highest-grossing opening weekend ever for an R-rated film. Domestically, the film sits at $41 million in its third week of release. According to Box Office Mojo, worldwide earnings have reached $US912 million. In the retelling of the epic voyage back to Ithaca after the Trojan War, Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, Holland plays his son Telemachus, and Zendaya appears as the Goddess Athena, who assists Odysseus on his journey.
Working History and Private Life
The shared cinematic journey for Holland and Zendaya spans nearly a decade, beginning with 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, followed by 2019’s Spider-Man: Far from Home, and 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. Off-screen, the couple maintains a strictly guarded personal life. While appearing on the Dish Podcast, Holland was asked which cast member from The Odyssey he would take on a holiday to Greece, responding, “I think probably my wife would be pretty good for that one.” According to reports, the comment served as a rare public acknowledgement of their marriage in a private ceremony earlier this year. The duo previously kept their relationship quiet until photographers captured them kissing in a car in 2021, after meeting during 2016 casting sessions.
Did you know? Zendaya and Tom Holland follow a precedent set by previous Peter Parker and MJ actors. Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst dated during their tenure, as did Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What box office records did Spider-Man: Brand New Day break?
According to Sony Pictures, the film secured the second-biggest US domestic opening of all-time at $US355m. In Australia, it recorded the biggest opening weekend of 2026, the second-biggest opening of all-time nationally, and the largest opening in Sony Pictures’ 100-year history.
What roles do Tom Holland and Zendaya play in The Odyssey?
Tom Holland plays Telemachus, the son of Odysseus and Penelope, while Zendaya plays the Goddess Athena, who assists Odysseus on his journey, according to Universal Pictures.
How many Spider-Man films have Holland and Zendaya starred in together?
The pair have starred in films together within the franchise: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019), Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), and Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026).
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