Newsletter 29th July2026

Spider-Man: Brand New Day opens tonight at 5:00pm, and all the signs point to a very busy opening weekend at the box office. Early demand is strong, with the film expected to dominate cinemas over the next four days. Current industry estimates are forecasting a U.S. opening of around $180–190 million across the extended four-day weekend. UK 4 day figure should come in around £13m - £15m.

Of course, studios love opening films over four-day holiday weekends. It allows them to promote a much bigger headline figure than a traditional three-day opening, even though direct comparisons with normal weekends can be misleading.

Interestingly, while opening weekend looks set to be huge, advance bookings for next week are surprisingly quiet in the UK. That doesn't necessarily mean the film will underperform, as bookings can build closer to the date, but based on what we're seeing now, a second-weekend drop of at least 50% wouldn't be surprising. With no major new releases arriving next week, Spider-Man will still have the marketplace largely to itself, but it remains to be seen whether it can sustain momentum beyond its opening.

The current release schedule also isn't offering much for adult audiences. Apart from The Odyssey, which has now been in cinemas long enough that most interested cinemagoers have already seen it, there's very little aimed at older moviegoers. That could explain why Spider-Man is expected to be particularly busy during evening performances.

"Infinity Vision" – A Marketing Term Looking for Meaning?

Marvel has also released the latest trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, ending with the line: "See it in Infinity Vision."

The problem is that "Infinity Vision" doesn't actually mean anything to the average cinema audience. Unlike IMAX or Dolby Cinema, it isn't a recognised cinema format. Instead, it feels like Disney's attempt to create its own premium branding after reportedly missing out on widespread IMAX availability for the film's December release. Rather than promoting a genuine exhibition format, it comes across as a marketing slogan telling audiences how they should watch the movie. Surely IMAX must have known about Avengers Doomsday, or did the studio drop the ball on this one and missed the boat.

IMAX's Growing Studio Relationships Problem?

At the same time, IMAX isn't doing itself many favours. Reports suggest Sony was also frustrated that IMAX screens weren't available for Spider-Man: Brand New Day due to existing licensing arrangements. When multiple major studios feel they can't secure access to premium screens for their biggest releases, it inevitably raises questions about IMAX's long-term relationships with distributors.

Cinema chains are increasingly choosing to invest in their own premium large-format brands instead. Vue has already moved away from further IMAX expansion in favour of its own Epic screens, while other major exhibitors have developed their own large-screen concepts rather than relying solely on IMAX.

In many ways, this is simply a return to what cinemas traditionally offered. Going to the cinema has always been about seeing films on a genuinely big screen. During the 1950s and 1960s, many large single-screen cinemas featured enormous widescreen presentations as standard. That wasn't marketed as a premium experience—it was simply what audiences expected when they bought a ticket.

Perhaps the industry has lost sight of that. A great cinema experience shouldn't depend on a branded format; it should begin with a spectacular screen, excellent presentation, and a film worth seeing.

Minions, TS5 and Moana are neck and neck and continue taking in the region of $1.4m a day.