Russian fantasy feature film The Last Knight Kolobok has surpassed the latest Spider-Man release at the official box office across Russia and neighboring countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States, according to data from box office portal kinobussiness.
The domestic production generated 192.3 million rubles over the weekend. In comparison, Marvel Studios superhero feature Spider-Man Brand New Day collected 169 million rubles across CIS countries, earning 22 million rubles less than the local hit.
Spider-Man Brand New Day is not officially released in Russia or Belarus. A shadow theatrical release of the Marvel production is planned for late August.
Major Hollywood studios halted formal film distribution in Russia and Belarus in 2022. The Commonwealth of Independent States is a regional alliance of post-Soviet nations that frequently shares media distribution networks.
Box Office Rankings
The animated feature Kikoriki Through the Universes claimed third place in the regional box office standings after taking 62.9 million rubles. Kikoriki is a long running Russian animated franchise that has produced multiple television series and feature films since its debut in 2003.
Director Christopher Nolan feature film The Odyssey finished in fourth place, earning 57 million rubles when calculated without figures from Russia and Belarus. Nolan is an acclaimed British American filmmaker known for directing major cinematic releases such as Oppenheimer, Inception, and The Dark Knight trilogy.
Social Media Backlash
The box office results follow online friction between moviegoers. Marvel fans previously tanked the rating of Kolobok on rating platforms after cinema operators reportedly requested to postpone the premiere of Spider-Man Brand New Day to support the Russian film.
The social media scandal erupted after information circulated that theaters had asked for the release date change to give priority to the domestic fantasy title.
The film Kolobok is based on a famous Slavic folk tale character of the same name, a round baked bread figure that comes to life and escapes from a homestead into the forest.
