Spider-Man: Brand New Day Becomes the Highest-Grossing Movie in US History — and Jon Bernthal's Punisher Is Along for the Ride
For eleven years, Star Wars: The Force Awakens sat on a throne nobody thought could be taken. Now it's gone. Spider-Man: Brand New Day has officially become the highest-grossing movie in US box office history — and for Jon Bernthal, who finally brought the Punisher to the big screen, it's the biggest hit of a career built on playing tough, broken men.
- No. 1 ever in the US: Brand New Day hit $936.77 million on day 47, passing The Force Awakens' $936.6 million.
- Still climbing: it later became the first film ever to top $950 million domestically.
- Record opening: its $360.1 million debut beat Avengers: Endgame for the biggest opening weekend of all time.
- Global giant: about $2.45 billion worldwide — No. 3 of all time.
- Bernthal's milestone: his Punisher is the first Marvel-Netflix hero to share the screen in a $2 billion MCU movie.
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How Spider-Man: Brand New Day Beat The Force Awakens
On Tuesday, September 15, 2026 — its 47th day in theaters — Brand New Day added about $915,000 and pushed its domestic total to $936,773,134. That was just enough to pass Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which had finished its 2015 run with $936.6 million and held the record for more than a decade.
The win was razor-thin at first, but the film kept selling tickets. By the last weekend of September it became the first movie ever to cross $950 million in North America, and analysts expect it to finish somewhere around $960 million.
Even Star Wars Tipped Its Hat
The day after the record fell, Lucasfilm posted a congratulations message on the official Star Wars account, borrowing a famous Darth Vader line:
"Impressive. Most impressive." — Star Wars (Lucasfilm) on X, September 16, 2026
Sony Pictures chairman and CEO Ravi Ahuja called the run a "tremendous result" and admitted the studio had not forecast numbers this big.
Jon Bernthal's Punisher Finally Hits the Big Screen
Bernthal first played Frank Castle in Netflix's Daredevil in 2016, then led two seasons of The Punisher and returned in Disney+'s Daredevil: Born Again. Brand New Day is the first time his Punisher has appeared in a theatrical MCU movie — and it turned into the biggest one in US history.
That makes Bernthal the first star from the old Marvel-Netflix shows to share the screen in a $2 billion MCU film. Before this, the only MCU movie to feature a Marvel-Netflix star was Charlie Cox's brief cameo as Daredevil in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
A Huge 2026 for Bernthal
Spider-Man is not his only giant hit this year. Bernthal also appears in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, which has passed $1.4 billion worldwide and became Nolan's highest-grossing domestic release. He also headlined the Disney+ special The Punisher: One Last Kill. Two of the year's biggest movies, plus his own Marvel special — few actors have had a stronger 2026.
Box Office Timeline: The Road to No. 1
Highest-Grossing Movies in US History (Top 5)
Here is how the new champion stacks up against the biggest domestic hits ever (US and Canada, not adjusted for inflation):
| # | Movie | Year | Domestic Gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day 🏆 | 2026 | $950M+ (still running) |
| 2 | Star Wars: The Force Awakens | 2015 | $936.6M |
| 3 | Avengers: Endgame | 2019 | $858.4M |
| 4 | Spider-Man: No Way Home | 2021 | $804.8M |
| 5 | Avatar | 2009 | ~$785M |
Note: Spider-Man now holds two of the top four spots on this list.
Worldwide Box Office: Where Brand New Day Ranks Globally
Around the world, Brand New Day has earned about $2.45 billion, making it the third-biggest movie of all time, behind Avatar (about $2.92 billion) and Avengers: Endgame (about $2.8 billion). On the way, it passed Titanic, Ne Zha 2 and Avatar: The Way of Water.
China was its biggest market outside North America with more than $209 million, followed by the UK (about $106.5 million) and Mexico (about $79.8 million).
Will It Reach $1 Billion Domestic?
Probably not in its first run. Most analysts see it ending near $960 million. A future re-release could change that — and Marvel's next giant, Avengers: Doomsday, arrives in December 2026 with a real shot at challenging the new record.
Why This Spider-Man Movie Became So Big
- A fresh start: after No Way Home's huge cliffhanger, fans wanted to see Peter Parker rebuild his life.
- Fan-favorite guests: Bernthal's Punisher, Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner and Florence Pugh's Yelena added real "event" energy.
- Strong word of mouth: an "A" CinemaScore and around 90% on Rotten Tomatoes kept audiences coming back.
- Little competition: it stayed No. 1 for six straight weekends, helping push August 2026 to a record $1.2 billion month at the box office.
FAQ: Spider-Man: Brand New Day Box Office Record
❓ What is the highest-grossing movie in US box office history?
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026). It passed Star Wars: The Force Awakens' $936.6 million on September 15, 2026, and later became the first film to top $950 million domestically.
❓ Who does Jon Bernthal play in Spider-Man: Brand New Day?
He plays Frank Castle, the Punisher. It is his first big-screen appearance in the role after Daredevil, The Punisher and Daredevil: Born Again.
❓ How much did it make on opening weekend?
$360.1 million in North America — the biggest domestic opening ever, beating Avengers: Endgame's $357.1 million.
❓ Is it the highest-grossing movie worldwide?
No. With about $2.45 billion, it is No. 3 worldwide, behind Avatar and Avengers: Endgame.
❓ Is the record adjusted for inflation?
No. It is based on nominal ticket sales. Adjusted for inflation, several older classics still sold more tickets.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day ended an 11-year Star Wars reign and is now the biggest movie in US box office history, with $950 million and counting. For Jon Bernthal, it caps a decade of playing the Punisher with the largest stage the character has ever had — and a 2026 that also includes Nolan's The Odyssey. The next test comes in December, when Avengers: Doomsday takes its shot at the crown.
This article is based on a report published by MSN (إم إس إن), with box office figures cross-checked against industry reports.
Read the original report ↗Additional sources: TheWrap · AZFamily · ComicBookMovie
