Spidey swings into Shanghai

A few days before Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into Chinese theaters, stars Tom Holland and Zendaya arrived in Shanghai for the film's premiere, drawing many enthusiastic fans eager to welcome the franchise's celebrated on- and off-screen couple.

Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, Spider-Man: Brand New Day centers on a Peter Parker who has been erased from memory and now lives alone, devoting himself entirely to being Spider-Man. But as the strain mounts, it unleashes a perilous transformation within him and heralds the arrival of a powerful new enemy.

Holland revealed that action giant Jackie Chan paid him a visit during the shooting of the film in London, to see how his stunt team participated in the action choreography.

"I was on set and we were shooting, and I heard rumblings that Jackie Chan was visiting. I turned around and there he was — it was so exciting to meet such an icon, someone I've been a fan of for such a long time. And he gave me a great vote of confidence," he recalled.

Describing the movie's action scenes as "incredibly exciting", Holland praised Chan's stunt team — a renowned collective of martial artists and stunt performers founded by the kung fu icon in the 1970s, and a wonderful team that trained him and helped bring the fight scenes to life.

"I think when you get to sit through the entire movie, you will see a new level of action," he added.

Shanghai also became the first city in the world to host an exclusive screening of 26 minutes of footage from the film, which was shown to Chinese media and fans on Friday.

"This movie is so special to us. We are so proud of it. We are so grateful that we get to share it with all of you," Zendaya told the audience.

The premiere also featured several promotional attractions. BMW, the film's global automotive partner, showcased the new-generation BMW iX3 on the red carpet, while collectibles maker Hot Toys made its Chinese mainland debut with a life-size Spider-Man statue re-creating an iconic scene from the movie.

Beyond the premiere, Holland and Zendaya explored some of Shanghai's best-known landmarks, including the Yu Garden and the nearby Cheng Huang Miao (City God Temple) commercial district. Holland also amused fans by buying an inexpensive pair of shorts to cope with the city's sweltering summer heat — a spontaneous purchase that quickly became a social media talking point.

The film is scheduled to open across the Chinese mainland on July 29. As of Tuesday, it had earned more than 93 million yuan ($13.7 million) in advanced ticket sales, according to industry tracker Beacon.