[Edaily Starin, Reporter YUN GI BACK ] The movies “The Martian” and “Spider-Man: A Brand New Day” (Spider-Man 4) are expected to each surpass 6 million and 8 million viewers, respectively, this weekend. Although they were released a week apart, the box office momentum for both films shows no signs of slowing down, with these two foreign films driving the final stretch of the summer movie season.

According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated computer network on the 21st, “The Odyssey” drew 188,663 viewers the previous day, bringing its cumulative total to 5,788,185. It has held the No. 1 spot at the box office for 16 consecutive days since its release on the 5th. With only about 210,000 viewers remaining to reach the 6 million mark, it is highly likely to hit that milestone early in the weekend.
What’s even more striking is the pent-up demand for advance ticket sales. As of the morning of the 21st, advance ticket sales for “The Odyssey” have well exceeded 750,000. Considering that advance sales on the morning of its opening day totaled approximately 567,000 tickets, this means that even as the film approaches its third week in theaters, more viewers have pre-purchased tickets than did at the time of its release. This trend differs from the typical pattern where major blockbusters quickly exhaust advance ticket demand immediately after release.
It has already demonstrated a “reverse advance ticket sales trend” once. When “The Odyssey” surpassed 3 million viewers on its tenth day in theaters, advance ticket sales had already exceeded 1 million. Advance ticket sales, which had hovered around 500,000 before and after the release, actually increased, driven by word of mouth from viewers and demand for special screenings. In particular, the fact that the film was shot entirely with IMAX film cameras is believed to have stimulated demand for repeat viewings in special theaters like IMAX.
“Spider-Man: A Brand-New Day” has also entered a long-term box office run. After adding 55,279 viewers the previous day, it reached a cumulative total of 7,740,873. With only about 260,000 viewers remaining to reach 8 million, it is highly likely to surpass that mark this weekend. Even as it enters its fourth week since its release on the 29th of last month, it continues to hold the No. 2 spot at the box office.
If it surpasses 8 million, it will rank among the top performances in the Tom Holland-starring “Spider-Man” series. In particular, the record set by “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” which drew approximately 8.02 million viewers, is within reach. If the current trend continues, there is a possibility it could surpass that figure and set a new domestic box office record for the series.
The success of these two films is also significant for the cinema industry, which had been in a slump. After “Spider-Man 4” drew audiences with explosive early momentum, “Odyssey” ignited a long-term box office run, primarily in special-format theaters, creating a dynamic where these two major foreign films are keeping audiences in theaters. In fact, alongside the success of these two films, special-format theaters such as IMAX and 4DX (a 4-dimensional movie screening system) have been selling out even on weekdays.
It is practically only a matter of time before both films reach the milestones of 6 million and 8 million this weekend. Attention now turns to the next milestones. The final highlights of the summer box office will be whether “The Odyssey,” backed by over 750,000 advance tickets, will surpass 7 million and how far it will go, and whether “Spider-Man 4” will break the 8 million mark and set a new series record.