The phrase superhero fatigue has been a part of the public consciousness for a while now. A Marvel movie fails, and it’s because of superhero fatigue. A DC movie fails, and it’s because a bunch of guys with fragile male egos scream, “superhero fatigue!” It’s a phrase that is buried so deep in our film culture that it sounds like the truth. Maybe it is, or was the truth, until Spider-Man: Brand New Day came along and threw superhero fatigue in the garbage along with the Melania movie.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day didn’t just crush its opening weekend, it shattered box office records. It opened with an amazing (see what I did there?) $360 million domestic opening weekend, slaying the previous record held by Avengers: Endgame for the title of biggest opening weekend in North American box office history. It killed worldwide as well, bringing the opening weekend totals to $932 million, and not only did audiences love it, critics liked it too. The film earned around a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, along with an A CinemaScore.
Those types of numbers don’t signal superhero fatigue to me. Personally, I don’t think audiences are tired of superheroes; I think they’re tired of homework. For years we’ve been fed an endless stream of movies that all feed into one another like chapters in a novel. Miss a movie and you’ll be lost when you get to the next chapter. I’m not sure how the rest of the world feels about that model, but I’m tired of it. It’s difficult for me to stay emotionally invested in stories when there’s so much homework. When one movie is maintenance and set-up for another larger movie that sets up a completely new intellectual property, it’s hard for even the best writers to keep audiences engaged. However, Spider-Man: Brand New Day proved that superhero movies work best when they are simple. When Spider-Man is just Spider-Man instead of one bit player in some cosmic story that spans 20 different films.
I think that’s the genius of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Making Peter Parker the focus of his own story without worrying about multiverses, 20 different characters, villain on top of villain on top of villain, cameos that take up more time than cameos should, and convoluted storylines designed to connect to another movie. In my humble opinion, Spider-Man: Brand New Day felt bigger because it was smaller. Instead of cosmic threats to all of humanity, this time Peter is working to keep the streets of New York safe, while trying to balance loneliness, responsibility, and the consequences of past decisions. Spider-Man’s real superpower is not the ability to climb walls, shoot webs, or throw a car; it’s empathy.
Every generation has its own Spider-Man. I grew up with Toby Maguire’s optimism, while later generations got to know Andrew Garfield’s vulnerability. Tom Holland, however, represents something else. At this point in time, he has now been Spider-Man for a decade and audiences have grown up with him. They’ve experienced his triumphs and failures. He’s become our Spider-Man. Not just this generation, but every generation. He has warmed our hearts and given us a real hero to root for.
Not all superheroes are created equally. Some are known the world over even if they aren’t part of a cinematic universe, and Spider-Man definitely fits into that category. Children know who he is, along with parents, grandparents, and everyone in between. He’s not just a superhero; he’s a part of the culture, and when he’s allowed to be the hero of his own story, he’s unstoppable. I don’t think we are tired of superheroes, because everyone needs the kind of joy and excitement the good ones add to our lives. I know I do.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a perfect example of storytelling taking center stage, and that’s what’s bringing people to the theater. I saw it last Friday, and I’ll be going again this week. I’ve also told all of my friends about it, and recommended they see it if they haven’t already. I know Spider-Man movies are part of the Hollywood machine, but damn it, I love the machine when it works, despite all of its flaws. Movies like Spider-Man: Brand New Day shaped who I was growing up as a kid who loved movies, and it feels great knowing that there are still popcorn movies that don’t feel like slop. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the ultimate (I did it again) popcorn movie. If you haven’t seen it, I’d recommend checking it out.
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