Spider-Man: Brand New Day is pulling box office weight in India — and not just in theatres. The Marvel film’s release has reportedly derailed a Telugu thriller, Newton’s 3rd Law, according to its producer Harish Kohikar. The film, starring Sumanth and directed by Rajesh Karna, failed to make an impact in cinemas despite strong performances from Jagapathi Babu, Srinivas Avasarala, Neha Pathan, and others.

Kohikar blamed the timing: it opened against Spider-Man, which he described as a ‘completely urban’ film with massive draw power. 'That was a big jolt for us,' he said during promotions for his next project, Balu Geetha, a web film. He added that the weekly deluge of releases made theatrical success unlikely, pushing the team to opt for OTT distribution instead.

Newton’s 3rd Law found better traction on Netflix post-theatrical run. The film was produced by Mark My Words Entertainments, Celestial Art Studio, and VFX Shashwat. No official figures on earnings were shared. But the producer’s comments mark a rare public admission of how global blockbusters can overshadow regional films even in saturated markets.

Balu Geetha is set to stream soon. The question now: will audiences see it as a fresh start, or just another casualty of the superhero era?