As May approaches, a wave of films that dominated the awards season are starting to wrap up their theatrical runs, making room for the big summer blockbusters. This includes a lineup from Dunn Pictures:
- A Beautiful Mind: $180 million at the North American box office, $340 million worldwide.
- Juno: $160 million in North America, $250 million globally.
- Saw II: $80 million in North America, $140 million worldwide.
- Resident Evil: $70 million in North America, $170 million globally.
But come May, it's Dunn Pictures' summer heavyweight that's stepping up first—a $140 million epic directed by Ridley Scott: Spider-Man 2!
There's no question about it—this year's summer movie season has two films everyone's buzzing about: Spider-Man 2 and Star Wars: Episode II. Both are sequels to massive hits directed by Dunn himself, each raking in over $1 billion globally with their first installments, cementing their unmatched influence.
Other big releases have shuffled their schedules to steer clear, practically handing over the entire month of May to these two giants. Spider-Man 2 swings into theaters on Friday, May 3rd, while Star Wars: Episode II lands on Thursday, May 16th.
In its original timeline, this slot belonged to Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, which crushed Star Wars: Episode II at the box office, pulling in $400 million in North America and $820 million worldwide. But thanks to Dunn's arrival, Spider-Man 1 hit screens two years ago. With its legacy boosting anticipation and Ridley Scott at the helm, Spider-Man 2 taking down George Lucas's Star Wars prequel shouldn't be a problem.
What Dunn's really focused on, though, is whether Spider-Man 2 can keep the magic alive and break the $1 billion global box office mark again!
As the days tick closer, the anticipation builds.
Hollywood blockbusters haven't quite hit the global simultaneous release trend yet—globalization's still got a ways to go, economically speaking. Spider-Man 2 is set to roll out overseas in June. But in North America, as soon as May hits, the market's heating up like boiling water, bubbling with excitement.
The long-awaited Spider-Man 2 is finally here!
On May 3rd, it debuted across 3,676 theaters in North America, raking in a massive $85 million on opening day! The next day, it kept the momentum going with $64 million. By the third day—the final day of the opening weekend—Spider-Man 2 was the talk of every major media outlet's entertainment section. Praise was pouring in from all corners. That day alone, it added another $63.6 million to the tally.
In just three days, Spider-Man 2 scored $216 million in North America! It's now the fastest film in Hollywood history to break the $200 million mark domestically—a wildfire of a hit that's showing no signs of slowing down!
Entertainment Weekly critic Owen Gleiberman had this to say: "Director Scott doesn't just follow Dunn Walker's old path—he's blazing a new trail for superhero films. The scenes where Spider-Man and Mary Jane get to know each other are destined to become some of the most cherished moments in fans' hearts."
Pulitzer Prize winner and Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert chimed in: "Spider-Man's enemies make him who he is. The evil scientist 'Doctor Otto' is a nightmare and a symbol of disaster for the city, turning Spider-Man into an angelic protector of the people. That's why American audiences, still shaken by 9/11, are absolutely obsessed with this silver-screen hero."
Kenneth Turan from the Los Angeles Times added: "After Spider-Man's huge success, Marvel Studios kicked off a whole slate of superhero projects—from Daredevil to Ant-Man to Ghost Rider. These formulaic films put Marvel in the hot seat for a while. But Spider-Man 2's $200 million opening weekend is a loud rebuttal—fans love these superhero flicks!"
Meanwhile, Gone Girl, directed by David Fincher and starring Mel Gibson and Nicole Kidman, wrapped up filming by the end of April.
The following Monday, Mel Gibson showed up at Dunn Pictures, looking a little road-worn but in high spirits. He's a small shareholder now, holding 1.85 million original shares of Dunn Pictures, but his real passion is movies. The moment he stepped into Dunn's office, he got straight to it: "Dunn, I spotted an Easter egg, and it's got me thinking!"
"Huh?" Dunn blinked, a little amused. "You mean in Spider-Man 2?"
"Of course!" Mel said. "I took my kids to see it yesterday… Don't change the subject. In that post-credits scene, I saw Mary Jane touching her stomach. Is she pregnant?"
Dunn gave him a sly, noncommittal smile, not denying it.
The "Spider-Man" universe he's building isn't like Sam Raimi's original—it's the launching pad for the Avengers series, not just a trilogy. There's a much bigger plan in play. In Dunn and Marvel Studios' vision, James Franco signed on for 10 films. That might sound like a lot, but when you really break it down, it's not.
Spider-Man's a New York hero, tied to the Avengers, the Heroes for Hire, and buddies with Daredevil, Iron Man, and more. To give lesser-known heroes a boost, Spider-Man's bound to pop up in cameos in their films—like how Iron Man showed up in Spider-Man: Homecoming in the original timeline. With that in mind, Franco's 10-film deal with Marvel starts looking a little tight.
Especially since Spider-Man and Deadpool are a match made in heaven. In the comics, their dynamic is a fan-favorite, absolutely electric. If a Deadpool movie gets off the ground, you can bet Spider-Man will swing into a few scenes.
That's why Dunn has to plan ahead. What happens when Franco's contract runs out and he doesn't want to play the role anymore? Recast him? No way! You can swap out minor characters, but a cornerstone like Spider-Man? That's not happening.
The only solution is to fast-track a second-generation Spider-Man!
And that's exactly what Mel Gibson just pointed out—the Easter egg in Spider-Man 2. In the film, Mary Jane and Spider-Man are head over heels, already engaged. In the post-credits scene, Mary Jane is pregnant. She'll give birth to a girl who, a decade or so later—when feminism's in full swing—will step up as a bona fide female superhero!
What she'll be called isn't set in stone yet at Marvel. Maybe "Spider-Woman," maybe "Silk." They'll tweak the comic lore a bit. She'll take over when Franco's contract expires, keeping Spider-Man alive on the big screen.
Mel Gibson, being the movie guy he is, caught on quick. He let out a long sigh. "Dunn, honestly, I'm not sure going all-in on superhero films like this is the right call."
Dunn used to think the same way. Superhero movies can turn blockbusters into a predictable, formulaic, IP-driven machine. But things are different now—he's the boss of a movie studio! Steady profits are the priority. He's got employees to look after.
If he wants to chase art, he can do it with dramas. His last film, A Beautiful Mind, won Best Picture at the Oscars, didn't it?
Dunn shook his head. "You just finished Gone Girl. Why aren't you back in Australia taking a break? Don't tell me you came all the way here just to talk Easter eggs."
Mel straightened up, serious now. "No, I've got a new project."
"What?"
Dunn was floored. Mel Gibson was something else.
He knew the Aussie tough guy was a workaholic—cranking out three or four films a year was nothing for him. But this? He'd only been off the Gone Girl set for a week, and he's already pitching a new gig? That's next-level dedication.
Mel said earnestly, "Dunn, this is something I've been mulling over for over a decade. I want to direct it myself."
"You're directing?"
Dunn raised an eyebrow, a flicker of unease creeping in.
It wasn't that he doubted Mel's skills—Gibson's got an Oscar for Best Director, something Dunn hasn't even touched yet. No, it was the subject of this new project that had him worried.