Entertainment
Sony Chief Tom Rothman Credits Emotional Storytelling for 'Spider-Man' Box Office Triumph
Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Tom Rothman discussed the resurgence of theatrical moviegoing during a panel at the Lumiere Summit in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France, on Monday, attributing much of the industry's summer success to strong storytelling across genres.
Rothman highlighted the performance of "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," which has grossed $2.4 billion worldwide, including $923 million domestically, since its July 31 release. Speaking with Variety co-Editor in Chief Cynthia Littleton, Rothman credited the film's success to its emotional depth rather than its action sequences. "It's not so much a superhero film, but a 'super-person' film," he said, describing it as a relatable story about friendship and loneliness centered on Peter Parker following the narrative reset at the end of 2021's "Spider-Man: No Way Home."
He praised the film's creative team, including star Tom Holland, who has worked with Sony on the franchise for more than a decade, along with support from Disney and Marvel.
Rothman also pointed to other successful 2025 summer releases—Universal's "The Odyssey," Focus Features' "Obsession," and Disney's "Toy Story 5"—as proof that audiences remain eager to visit theaters for compelling films. He noted this marks the first summer since the COVID-19 shutdowns and the 2023 writers' and actors' strikes that the industry has seen a consistent run of strong, varied releases.
Discussing "Obsession," a horror film directed by Curry Barker reportedly made for $700,000 that has earned nearly $510 million globally, Rothman said its success disproves the notion that young audiences avoid theaters. He revealed that Sony had been outbid for the film's distribution rights by Focus Features, which paid a reported $14 million—a few million dollars more than Sony's offer. "I was outraged," Rothman joked, before adding, "I congratulate the worthy opposition."
Rothman also referenced Netflix's animated musical "K-Pop Demon Hunters," which became the streamer's most-watched film ever, praising the platform for backing a project he described as "deeply Korean, culturally relevant." He said the key to global success lies in cultural specificity, citing Sony's growing anime business as another example. "Specificity leads to universality," he said. "I have seen it many times in my career."
The panel followed an earlier session at the summit where French President Emmanuel Macron and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced a $1.16 billion entertainment industry financing partnership. Referencing that announcement, Rothman quipped that the event featured three presidents: those of France and Korea, and actor George Clooney, whom he called "the president of Hollywood," gesturing to Clooney in the front row.
Rothman joined Sony Pictures in 2013 as chairman of TriStar Pictures, was promoted to chairman of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group in 2015, and became chairman and CEO in 2021. He previously led Fox Filmed Entertainment from 2000 to 2012.