It wasn’t long ago that we were discussing the different strategies employed by Spider-Man No Way Home versus The Matrix Resurrections. The idea was that these diametrically opposed films would face off this week with one strategy clear being the winner. Spider-Man employs an embracing of all fans approach while the writers of The Matrix have clearly stated they had partisan intent with the film.
But that seems like ages ago, and the article is out of date. For we now know that The Matrix Resurrections has absolutely zero chance of competing with Spider-Man No Way Home this week. Instead, the movie sequel to an industry-changing trilogy is fighting not with Marvel, but rather with a B-tier animated family film called Sing 2. You are reading this correctly: The Matrix Resurrections is looking to land in third place with a pitiful $40 million estimated domestic revenue for the Christmas week. That would likely mean Spider-Man more than doubles Matrix in Spider-Man’s second week if projections hold true.
The preview night for Matrix was, quite frankly, very ugly if you’re rooting for a Matrix Resurrections sequel. From The-Numbers:
Place Title Revenue Change Theaters Gross
| 1 | (1) | Spider-Man: No Way Home | $27,800,000 | -11% | 4,336 | $6,411 | $356,485,544 | 6 | |
| 2 | N | Sing 2 | $8,145,000 | 3,892 | $2,093 | $8,145,000 | 1 | ||
| 3 | N | The Matrix Resurrections | $6,400,000 | 3,552 | $1,802 | $6,400,000 | 1 |
Normally, studios would blame the pandemic and Omicron for such low numbers. That’s been the strategy for many of the movies that have flopped at the box office so far… even as recently as a few weeks ago with West Side Story. Unfortunately for Warner Bros, that just isn’t in the cards with Spider-Man obliterating their movie in the cinemas. Perhaps the best option is to claim that it is doing well on HBO Max and then never release those numbers? As is, this is the kind of opening that could kill the franchise for another decade. It certainly will kill Warner Bros wanting to go back to the same team for producing another Matrix movie.
For Spider-Man, the movie will likely cross a billion dollars before New Year’s for worldwide tallies, and China will have to be quite upset they don’t own the top spot this year for movie revenues. It must not be fun to manipulate the market and still fail to take first place.
As for Sing 2, it had a cost of $85 million, with a likely $40 million advertising budget. It needs to make $250 million at the box office to put it in solid “win” territory. Thus, the second place showing so far isn’t enough to make anyone happy behind this cash-grab sequel… it’s just getting silver for this week because The Matrix is failing so badly.
Studio investors and execs, take note. The Spider-Man strategy wins hands down.
