Spider-Man dominates Vietnam box office, outpacing The Odyssey, Conan

The blockbuster’s strong local debut delivers a timely boost for Marvel Studios amid industry-wide debates over global superhero fatigue.

A commanding opening

Dominating theater schedules nationwide with roughly 4,600 screenings per day, the film delivered one of the fastest box office surges for a Western release in Vietnam in recent years. 

Industry observers predict the movie will cross the VND100 billion ($3.8 million) threshold shortly, with a realistic shot at reaching VND200 billion ($7.6 million) by the end of its local run.

Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the 150-minute U.S. production picks up four years after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, in a world that has forgotten Peter Parker’s secret identity.

Tom Holland returns as Parker, navigating life as a lonely superhero without his girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) or best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon), while crossing paths with a mysterious new character played by Sadie Sink.

The film has earned praise for returning the web-slinger to a grounded, emotionally resonant storyline centered on isolation.

Local audiences found a moment of comic relief in a scene where Ned expresses a sudden craving for banh mi, joking he could eat five loaves, to which Peter enthusiastically agrees. 

The explicit use of the Vietnamese term banh mi, rather than a generic translation, drew loud cheers and laughs in theaters across the country.

Established franchises hold top spots

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey claimed second place, bringing its cumulative revenue to VND82 billion ($3.12 million) after nearly three weeks in theaters. 

Currently holding around 500 daily screenings, the epic adaptation of Homer’s 3,000-year-old poem has drawn steady crowds thanks to Nolan’s directorial clout and an A-list ensemble featuring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, and Charlize Theron. 

Still, the historical drama proved no match for Marvel’s opening-weekend momentum.

Third place went to Detective Conan Movie 29: Fallen Angel of the Highway, which reached VND113 billion ($4.29 million) following 10 days of wide release and five days of sneak previews. 

Maintaining around 1,300 showtimes daily, the anime installment is nevertheless projected to fall short of the record VND175 billion ($6.65 million) benchmark set by its predecessor, One-Eyed Flashback.

Analysts attribute the slower trajectory to a congested lineup that pitted the anime directly against both Nolan and Marvel.

Overall, legacy entertainment brands continue to exert a stranglehold on the Vietnamese cinematic landscape.

While Spider-Man and Detective Conan rely on deeply loyal, multi-generational fan bases, Nolan’s star-studded auteur appeal proved capable of packing houses for a nearly three-hour historical epic.