“Spider-Man: Homecoming” earned a whopping $15.4 million at Thursday night’s previews, kicking Sony’s reboot of the superhero franchise off to a strong start.
In comparison, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” grossed $8.7 million when it opened on a Thursday in 2014, and went on to earn $91.1 million its opening weekend.
“Homecoming” is also opening well ahead of “Wonder Woman” ($11 million), “Doctor Strange” ($9.4 million), “Deadpool” ($12.7 million) and “Guardians of the Galaxy” ($11.2 million).
Independent trackers have suggested the film will make $90 million to $110 million this weekend, with Sony Pictures projecting a more conservative $80 million from 4,341 locations.
“Homecoming,” directed by Jon Watts, has been well-received, currently holding a 94 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film stars Tom Holland as the young Peter Parker, with Robert Downey Jr., Zendaya, Michael Keaton, Donald Glover and Marisa Tomei also starring in the film.
Watts co-wrote the script with Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Dale, Christopher Ford, Chris McKenna, and Erik Sommers. Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal are producers.
“Spider-Man: Homecoming” takes place a few months after the events of “Civil War,” in which Holland made his first appearance as the webbed superhero. Peter Parker returns to his double life as a high school student and neighborhood crime fighter in Queens, but is yearning for another taste of the Avenger life that he experienced while fighting alongside Iron Man.
He hopes for the chance to prove he’s worthy of being a full-time Avenger, but gets more than he bargained for when he discovers a blue-collar weapons dealer named Adrian Toomes (Keaton), who is selling deadly weapons made from alien technology taken from the Avengers’ first battle in New York.