Tom Rothman on Sony’s ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Blockbuster Success, Being Outbid for ‘Obsession’ and More — SkimNews
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- Sony Pictures' 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' has grossed $2.4 billion globally since its July 31 release, including $923 million domestically, making it the highest-grossing film of 2026 to date.
- Tom Rothman framed the film's worldwide resonance as stemming from 'a lonely guy' story about friendship, calling it 'not so much a superhero film, but "super-person" film' rather than spectacle-driven.
- Sony was outbid by Universal's Focus Features (reportedly $14 million) for Curry Barker's 'Obsession,' a horror film made for $700,000 that has banked nearly $510 million globally.
- Rothman credited Netflix for being 'brave enough' to finance 'K-Pop Demon Hunters,' which has become the streamer's most-viewed film ever, calling it 'a deeply Korean, culturally relevant film.'
- Rothman invoked Mark Twain to argue 'the death of the theatrical business has been greatly exaggerated,' saying this summer movies 'became cultural again… because they were culturally significant.'
- Rothman highlighted the $1.16 billion France-Korea entertainment financing partnership unveiled at the summit by French President Emmanuel Macron and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
Why it matters: Rothman conceding Sony lost 'Obsession' by just a couple million dollars — a film that grossed $510M on a $700K budget — shows how the same summer rewarded studios that took specific, low-budget swings while Sony's $2.4B tentpole simultaneously validated its franchise bet, complicating any single thesis about what works theatrically.
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