Don’t screw this up, Marvel

<figure> <img alt="Spider-Man holding up a large, heavy metal object over his head." data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Image: Sony / Marvel" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/SBND-27223_r.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="has-drop-cap wp-block-paragraph">In less than a week, <a href="https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/896564/spider-man-brand-new-day-trailer"><em>Spider-Man: Brand New Day</em></a><em> </em>raked in <a href="https://variety.com/2026/film/box-office/spider-man-brand-new-day-billion-dollars-six-days-1236826658/">$1 billion worldwide</a> and had the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/spider-man-brand-new-day-opening-record-endgame-box-office-1236662986/">biggest box office opening weekend in Hollywood history</a>. The feature has been a reminder of why Sony is probably never going to give up the Spider-Man film rights, and highlighted how Marvel Studios was smart to strike a deal to <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/20/15841200/spider-man-marvel-sony-cinematic-universe-rights-management">bring the character into its own films</a>. But as successful as <em>Brand New Day </em>has been, the larger MCU has been <a href="https://www.theverge.com/23942217/marvel-mcu-marvels-variety-franchise-disney-quality">stuck in a confounding slump</a> for the past few years. And while this latest <em>Spider-Man </em>movie was truly excellent, it's not necessarily a sign that Marvel has figured out how to get things back on track.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Though <em>Brand New Da …</em></p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/975297/spider-man-brand-new-day-marvel-sony-xmen-doomsday">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>