As Marvel Studios preps to launch Spider-Man: Brand New Day with Tom Holland swinging back into action, movie insiders and MCU fans have noticed something unprecedented: the film isn’t on IMAX’s 2026 calendar.
Historically, IMAX and Marvel have teamed up for every major Spider-Man release, serving up blockbuster visuals on the biggest screens with the sharpest sound. Instead, this summer’s IMAX slot will go to another epic, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, debuting just two weeks ahead of the Spider-Man film.
Industry analysts point to IMAX’s 2026 investor presentation, which touts a packed year that includes Avengers: Doomsday, Dune: Part III, and Greta Gerwig’s Narnia, but omits any mention of the beloved Spider-Man.
The omission confounds fans, given Spider-Man’s proven track record as an IMAX box office draw. It’s the first time since Spider-Man 2 that a live-action Spider-Man film has been left off the IMAX slate.
This shakeup stems from more than just crowd-pleasing potential. Sony Pictures, which coordinates with Marvel Studios for the Spider-Man franchise, typically fights for prime screen real estate.
Insiders suggest Sony may still be negotiating with IMAX, but the gap between major releases and Nolan’s exclusive IMAX commitment may have left little wiggle room.
IMAX’s official line reiterates that their slate isn’t “fully confirmed or complete,” but with ticket pre-sales and theater chains needing months of prep, a last-minute reversal grows more unlikely each day.
The Nolan Effect: Prestige, Power, and the Price of Exclusivity
So why did IMAX hand every inch of real estate to The Odyssey, displacing Marvel’s usually reliable summer tentpole? Christopher Nolan’s relationship with IMAX runs deep, tracing back to his reinvention of blockbuster spectacle using the format’s giant cameras on The Dark Knight, Inception, and Oppenheimer.
For The Odyssey, Nolan reportedly made cinema history by filming the entire project with IMAX cameras, essentially guaranteeing it monopolizes those screens for several weeks.
Industry reports confirm he won an “extended exclusivity window” for IMAX, freezing out any competitor, including Spider-Man, during the key July run. IMAX execs see the director’s brand as a prestige play, driving global audiences and critical buzz at a time when moviegoing faces new challenges.
Some industry spectators question whether this move hints at deeper trouble for Marvel in the IMAX universe. Marvel’s past dominance may be giving way to a marketplace where only guaranteed game-changers maintain their IMAX privileges.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing)
Reddit discussions highlight the risk: if Marvel loses one slot, could future tentpoles like Avengers: Secret Wars also face exclusion if timing clashes with a major auteur project?
The move also shows how a single studio or director, when wielding enough influence, can override long-standing franchise arrangements, pivoting based on prestige or business rationale. This echoes recent situations like The Marvels losing access to IMAX due to Dune: Part Two’s long engagement.
What This Means for Marvel, Fans, and the Summer of 2026
For Marvel loyalists and casual moviegoers hoping for the largest Spider-Man experience possible, news of Brand New Day’s absence from IMAX feels like a letdown.
Regular fans are left to wonder why Tom Holland’s return as Peter Parker after five years is only available on traditional screens, while his co-stars dominate giant IMAX auditoriums for an entirely different blockbuster.
The omission creates potential ripple effects for both studios. Marvel risks lower box office totals, as IMAX screenings statistically boost revenue and hype. Meanwhile, Sony might consider shifting Brand New Day’s release date or cutting a new deal, though there’s no official sign of such a move at this stage.
For IMAX, the gamble is all-in on auteur-driven event cinema. Avengers: Doomsday remains locked in as Marvel’s sole 2026 IMAX feature, keeping at least one foot in the superhero universe as the year’s biggest event film.
With only 20 slots on the 2026 IMAX release calendar and every studio competing for premium visibility, audiences are witnessing a dramatic reshuffling of priorities.
The summer of 2026 may ultimately be remembered as the year IMAX chose the Odyssey over the Web-Slinger, reflecting shifting business models, evolving audience tastes, and just how much power a single filmmaker can wield in the blockbuster era.
Based on the cult comic created by Ben Edlund in the 1980s, The Tick is a big-hearted, blue-suited, almost invincible hero who embodies the ridiculousness and wonder of classic superhero tropes.
Unlike the morally grey antiheroes dominating the genre today, The Tick’s childlike optimism and comedic bombast offered a gentler, yet equally sharp critique of superhero idealism.
The show centered on The Tick’s adventures with Arthur Everest, an anxious accountant-turned-sidekick whose grounded fears contrasted perfectly with The Tick’s over-the-top heroism. Their dynamic satirized everything from superhero clichés to modern social anxieties, all while celebrating the core themes of justice and friendship.
This heartfelt approach distinguished The Tick from the brutal cynicism seen later in The Boys, which takes a more violent and politically charged dismantling of superhero culture.
The Tick’s early cancellation frustrated fans who recognized its forward-thinking satire, feeling it deserved a longer run to develop its clever social commentary and character-driven humor.
Setting the Stage for The Boys and Invincible
The Boys , which launched in 2019, fully embraced the darker side of superhero deconstruction, putting a spotlight on corruption, celebrity culture, and unchecked power. While The Tick approached satire with humor fused with hope, The Boys opted for gore, sharp political critique, and raw cynicism.
Both shows, however, owe a debt to that early groundwork laid by The Tick, showing audiences that superheroes could be reinterpreted in ways that reflected modern cultural issues instead of simply glorifying heroics.
Together, these shows helped popularize a new genre of superhero storytelling that merges adult themes with genre savvy, something The Tick kicked off on Prime Video years prior.
The Tick’s absurdity and heart remain a standout example of how superhero satire can be smart, warm, and genuinely funny.
Why The Tick Still Matters Today
In a streaming era dominated by superhero content, The Tick represents a vital piece of the genre’s evolution. It proved that superhero satire does not have to be grim or nihilistic to be effective. Instead, it showed that well-crafted humor and sincere storytelling can offer deep commentary while also enjoying heartfelt moments.
The Tick (Credit: Prime Video)
This approach allowed The Tick to mock superhero tropes, affectionately laughing at the absurdity of overpowered heroes and shadowy villains, while still exploring what it means to be a good person in a complicated, often flawed society.
Its mix of slapstick and social satire made it accessible to a wide audience, influencing how later shows like The Boys and Invincible framed their narratives.
It was a pioneer, mixing humor and warmth to challenge superhero mythology long before it was trendy.
