The Avengers are the biggest franchise in the MCU. However, Tom Holland‘s Spider-Man movies have surpassed the Avengers’ in terms of importance.
Later this month, Holland will reprise his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. It’s Holland’s fourth solo outing as Spider-Man and his first appearance in the MCU since 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Because of the character’s popularity and the success of previous movies, Holland’s Spider-Man franchise is now arguably the MCU’s most essential property.
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man movies are more important than The Avengers
The Avengers movies remain crucial to Marvel’s success. These team-up movies feel like true events on the release calendar, bringing the MCU’s heroes together under one roof. The financial benefits are extremely lucrative — the four Avengers movies have combined to gross $7.8 billion worldwide, the most for any MCU franchise. Marvel is banking on Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars becoming global hits like its predecessors.
Marvel can always fall back on the Avengers if other movies fail or underperform. However, the MCU needs a new hero to carry the mantle Iron Man and Captain America once held. Marvel needs a reliable character who can generate critical acclaim, strong box office numbers, and a strong audience reception for the MCU. That character is now Spider-Man.
Holland’s increased popularity is working in Marvel’s favor. He’s a megastar and Marvel’s most important actor under 35. Holland’s Spider-Man has grown in both popularity and financial success with each new movie. The financial grosses of the three movies are Homecoming at $881 million, Far From Home at $1.1 billion, and No Way Home at $1.9 billion.
In particular, No Way Home felt like an Avengers movie thanks to the presence of previous Spider-Man actors and villains. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is following No Way Home’s blueprint by adding more recognizable characters to the story, including Punisher, Hulk, and Scorpion.
Barring an unforeseen circumstance, Spider-Man: Brand New Day should eclipse $1 billion at the box office while on its way to becoming one of the biggest movies of 2026. Furthermore, there are rumors that Spider-Man 5 is a priority for Marvel in Phase 7.
Marvel will always have the Avengers, but the studio must continue capitalizing on Holland’s Spider-Man while they have the chance.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day opens in theaters on July 31, 2026.
Originally reported by Dan Girolamo for SuperHeroHype.
