Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Spider-Man: Brand New Day Claims Third-Biggest Second Weekend With $144M
Spider-Man: Brand New Day earned $144 million in its second North American weekend — the third-highest second-weekend gross in domestic box office history. The Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios blockbuster declined 59.9 percent from its record-breaking opening and now carries a 10-day domestic cumulative of $654 million — the highest 10-day sum in North American box office history. Universal’s The Odyssey held at number two with $31.7 million in its fourth weekend, bringing its domestic cumulative to $461 million. Universal’s One Night Only debuted at number three with $5.5 million in its opening weekend.
Summer 2026 Domestic Box Office Crosses $4 Billion, Only Second Time Since Pandemic
The domestic summer box office has crossed $4 billion — only the second time the season has reached that milestone since the pandemic. Three blockbusters have driven the record-breaking summer: Spider-Man: Brand New Day, The Odyssey, and Toy Story 5 have collectively delivered nearly $1.58 billion in domestic grosses. The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s R-rated adaptation of Homer, defied expectations for an adult historical drama and is now the highest-grossing IMAX release in history. The only other post-pandemic summer to cross $4 billion was 2023, fueled by the Barbenheimer phenomenon.
Netflix Stages Free Los Angeles Wellness Events as Emmy Campaign for Beef
Netflix is staging a week of free wellness events across Los Angeles from August 10 through 14 as part of its Emmy campaign for limited series Beef. Dubbed “Beef — Release Your Rage. Feel Your Calm,” the activation invites Angelenos to decompress through curated experiences at participating venues: Pause (robot massages), Heyday (complimentary Gua Sha add-ons with any facial), Sunlife Organics (limited-edition Yogi smoothies), Stagger Coffee, and sound bath sessions with The Den Meditation at The London in West Hollywood. Final Emmy voting opens August 17. Beef leads all limited/anthology series with 16 Emmy nominations.
Grand Theft Auto VI Extended Look to Premiere Exclusively on Netflix Before Game Launch
Rockstar Games and Netflix have announced a first-of-its-kind partnership under which an extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI will premiere exclusively on Netflix on August 27 at 3 p.m. ET — six hours before the same content goes live on the official Rockstar YouTube channel. Take-Two Interactive described it as a first-of-its-kind partnership, with Netflix pursuing the deal to participate in major cultural moments. The game releases for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19. Analysts project GTA VI to generate between $3.3 billion and $5.2 billion in first-week global sales.
Netflix Closes 2026 Upfront with Ad Commitments Nearly Doubled Year Over Year
Netflix has closed its 2026 upfront advertising sales cycle, reporting it has nearly doubled its ad commitments year-over-year, hitting its stated target. Netflix Advertising President Amy Reinhard cited strong advertiser demand for returning series including Love Is Blind, Bridgerton, Emily in Paris, and Nobody Wants This, as well as upcoming feature films. Demand was described as “extremely high” for live programming, including NFL games, WWE, and the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, with game sponsorships sold out and nearly all in-game inventory also sold. Netflix declined to disclose specific financial figures.
Warner Bros. AI Dog Podcast Campaign for The End of Oak Street Draws Online Backlash
Warner Bros. drew online criticism after using an AI-generated dog podcast to promote The End of Oak Street, an upcoming thriller from director David Robert Mitchell. The 90-second promotional spot features two AI dog characters, Goldie and Frenchie, who interview the film’s canine co-star about working alongside Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor. The campaign drew widespread backlash online after posting over the weekend. Warner Bros. did not respond to a request for comment. The End of Oak Street opens in theaters on August 14, projected to open between $25 million and $35 million.
Box Office — Currently in Theatres
| # | Title | Release Date | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day | Jul 31 | $144.3M | $654.3M |
| 2 | The Odyssey | Jul 17 | $31.7M | $461.4M |
| 3 | One Night Only | Aug 7 | $5.5M | $5.5M |
| 4 | Toy Story 5 | Jun 19 | $4.2M | $470.7M |
| 5 | Super Troopers 3 | Aug 7 | $4.0M | $4.0M |
| 6 | Minions & Monsters | Jul 3 | $3.5M | $176.4M |
| 7 | Moana | Jul 10 | $3.0M | $121.6M |
| 8 | Ice Cream Man | Aug 7 | $2.0M | $2.0M |
| 9 | The Invite | Jun 26 | $0.7M | $24.3M |
| 10 | CatVideoFest 2026 | Aug 7 | $0.6M | $0.6M |
| 11 | Hadestown: The Musical | Jul 24 | $0.4M | $20.3M |
| 12 | Cookie Queens | Aug 7 | $0.4M | $0.4M |
| 13 | Tony | Aug 7 | $0.3M | $0.3M |
| 14 | Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma | Aug 7 | $0.2M | $0.2M |
| 15 | Obsession | May 15 | $0.2M | $263.3M |
| 16 | The Samurai and the Prisoner | Jul 31 | $0.2M | $0.3M |
| 17 | I Want Your Sex | Jul 31 | $0.2M | $1.3M |
| 18 | Young Washington | Jul 3 | $0.2M | $46.9M |
| 19 | Evil Dead Burn | Jul 10 | $0.1M | $32.0M |
| 20 | Supergirl | Jun 26 | $0.1M | $72.3M |
Source: Box Office Mojo · Weekend Aug 7–9, 2026 estimates
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Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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