Tom Holland and Zendaya are experiencing a remarkable year at the box office, with their recent major film releases, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey, positioning them to set astonishing records. The two films, released just two weeks apart, have emerged as box office juggernauts, with both having already surpassed or expected to cross the billion-dollar mark.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is particularly dominant, projected to reach $2 billion globally, aided by a recent IMAX re-release. This installment has already broken records, including surpassing Avengers: Endgame for the biggest domestic opening weekend. Cumulatively, these two films have amassed close to $2 billion and are anticipated to generate significantly more revenue before concluding their theatrical runs, potentially pushing the total closer to or exceeding $3 billion.
Zendaya's successful year extends beyond these two tentpole features. Earlier in 2024, she starred in The Drama, a film that achieved $123 million in earnings against a $28 million budget. Looking ahead, she is set to appear in Dune: Part Three in December. Dune: Part Two, released this year, was a critical and commercial success, grossing $715 million and building considerable anticipation for the trilogy's conclusion.
The box office performance of Dune: Part Three could be influenced by its competition with Avengers: Doomsday, a release expected to impact its financial potential. However, Dune has secured an initial exclusive run on IMAX screens, which may bolster its revenue. If Dune: Part Three matches the performance of its predecessor, Zendaya could see her annual box office total approach $4 billion. Should the film overperform, similar to the Barbenheimer phenomenon where disparate films found success, Dune: Part Three could potentially reach $1 billion.
The Barbenheimer comparison, however, highlights potential differences in audience crossover. Barbie and Oppenheimer appealed to distinct demographics, suggesting viewers might have chosen one based on personal preference. The fanbases for Dune and Avengers are seen as more overlapping, which could make it more challenging for audiences to divide their support evenly between the two major releases.