(Adds Sony comment)
By Lisa Richwine
LOS ANGELES, Dec 19 (Reuters) - "Spider-Man: No Way Home"
racked up roughly $253 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales
over the weekend, crushing pandemic records and ranking as the
third-biggest domestic debut in Hollywood history, distributor
Sony Corp said on Sunday.
Around the globe, "No Way Home" generated an additional
$334.2 million for a worldwide weekend total of $587.2 million,
the studio's estimates said.
The blockbuster returns provided a much-needed jolt to
cinemas such as AMC Entertainment, Cinemark and
Cineworld that have struggled to draw crowds during the
COVID-19 crisis. The spread of the Omicron variant https://www.reuters.com/world/threat-omicron-looms-over-christmas-holidays-europe-us-2021-12-19
has sparked new concerns.
But as Broadway and New York City's Rockettes canceled shows
and the National Football League postponed games, theaters were
abuzz. Fans packed auditoriums for "No Way Home," a big-budget
superhero spectacle co-produced by Sony and Walt Disney Co
that is playing only in theaters.
The movie stars Tom Holland as Marvel's web-slinging
superhero and Zendaya, as his girlfriend MJ, in the third film
in a Spider-Man trilogy. It also brings back stars of previous
"Spider-Man" films.
"This weekend’s historic 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' results,
from all over the world and in the face of many challenges,
reaffirm the unmatched cultural impact that exclusive theatrical
films can have," Sony Pictures Chairman and CEO Tom Rothman said
in a statement.
The previous pandemic record was set by superhero film
"Venom: Let There Be Carnage," https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/venom-bond-pull-4-mln-people-amc-theaters-over-weekend-2021-10-04
which took in $90 million domestically over its first three
days in October.
Cinemark said ticket sales for "No Way Home" were especially
strong in the United States and Latin America and on
large-format screens.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
