Spider-Man comes home in first at the box office

Sony and Marvel spin box office gold

Chuck Zlotnick—Columbia Pictures
Tom Holland stars as Spider-Man in Columbia Pictures' "Spider-Man: No Way Home."

LOS ANGELES — “Spider-Man: Homecoming” is a
domestic darling, and an international success.The movie from Sony and Marvel made a reported $140 million
at the international box office, as of Sunday morning. That,
combined with the $117 million it’s expected to web from the
domestic market, should give the film a $257 million global
opening.”Homecoming” is launching in about 60 percent of
international territories this weekend. In Asia alone, the movie
has earned $61.3 million. South Korea tallied a five-day total
of $25.8 million. Mexico and Brazil powered Latin American
earnings with $12 million and $9 million, respectively. The U.K.
accounted for $11.8 million of the international total. Other
key markets included Russia ($7.8 million) and Australia ($7.6
million). It has yet to open in major territories such as
France, Germany, Spain, Japan, and China.The latest Spider-Man movie offers a family-friendly take on
the superhero genre. It stars Tom Holland, who got his start on
the West End, as a 15-year-old Spider-Man struggling with the
trials and tribulations of realizing the full of potential of
his super powers in addition to the day-to-day problems any
other high schooler might face.Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), who serves as an ever-present
part of the movie’s promotional materials, plays Spider-Man’s
begrudging mentor in the film. Michael Keaton is the big bad,
Vulture, Jon Favreau plays Spidey’s guardian, Happy Hogan, and
Zendaya stars as Michelle Jones (“MJ”), Parker’s brainy
classmate. Jon Watts directed the film, and is one of six people
with a writing credit on the script.Meanwhile, “Despicable Me 3” posted $139 million from 60
territories overseas for grand total of $298.4 million
internationally. In China, it scored $66 million, or the biggest
opening weekend for an animated movie in China. It also set a
record for the biggest animated Imax opening weekend with $4
million. Other top territories included France, where the movie
opened with $9.1 million, and Germany which pulled in $8.5
million.For Paramount, “Transformers: The Last Knight” earned an
additional $18.1 million. But the studio’s biggest bragging
rights go to “Baywatch,” which crossed the $100 million mark
overseas. Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No
Tales” picked up $11.1 million at the international box office,
while “Cars 3” earned an extra $8.7 million. And “Wonder Woman”
posted $6.8 million for Warner Bros. at the overseas box office,
raising its global total to $745.8 million.