Since the beginning of the "blockbuster" era in the 1970's, Hollywood could depend on great hordes of young men to fill theater seats. These fanboys were key to the success of franchises such as Star Wars and The Fast and the Furious.
But in recent years, movies have been losing out to things like mobile phones and video games when it comes to capturing the young man's entertainment dollar. Some even began calling young males "the lost generation."
"Spider-Man: Homecoming" has found them. As Vanity Fair's Rebecca Keegan notes, they drove the latest release in the franchise to record box office numbers. The quality of the film helps, she says, but it wasn't hurt by a $140-million ad campaign, and the fact that Sony, which released the film, also has a popular video game platform through its PlayStation consoles.
Ironically, "Spider-Man" was also a big turn-around for a woman. Amy Pascal, the former studio head of Sony, produced the film. Pascal, who worked her way up through the ranks to become among the most powerful people in Hollywood, lost her job three years ago. Her film slate had been performing poorly, and reams of her personal emails were made public in a studio hack. "Spider-Man" marks her return to the business, this time as a producer, and it's an auspicious start.