The studio also announced that it will begin production on SPIDER-MAN 2 early next year, and will release the sequel nationwide on May 7, 2004.

The record-breaking debut earned a per screen average of $31,769 and shattered a number of industry benchmarks including:

• Best Opening in Box Office History
• Best Single Day Gross (Saturday 5/4 $43,622,264)
• Fastest Film to Cross $100 million (3 days)
• Biggest Per Screen Average for a Wide Release ($31,769)

SPIDER-MAN also set records in its international debut with record-breaking openings in Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, The Phillipines, and Thailand.

"It took a superhero to deliver these historic numbers," Blake said. "The magnitude of this achievement is staggering by every standard and SPIDER-MAN's success is a wonderful tribute to a character that has meant so much to so many people for the past forty years. The cast and filmmakers were dedicated to Stan Lee's imaginative vision, and Sam Raimi, Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst deserve our thanks and all the credit for bringing SPIDER-MAN to life in such a magnificent, memorable and exciting way."

SPIDER-MAN stars Tobey Maguire as the web-slinging superhero and is directed by Sam Raimi. The film also stars Willem Dafoe as the villainous Green Goblin, Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson, James Franco as Harry Osborn, Cliff Robertson as Uncle Ben, Rosemary Harris as Aunt May and J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson.

Based upon the world famous superhero that first appeared in a Marvel comic book in August 1962, SPIDER-MAN centers on student Peter Parker (Maguire) who, after being bitten by a genetically-altered spider, gains superhuman strength and the spider-like ability to cling to any surface. He vows to dedicate his life to fighting crime.