Spider-Man in Amsterdam: How a Show Featuring 1,000 Drones Launched *Brand New Day*
On June 17, 2026, Amsterdam became, for one night, the epicenter of the Spider-Man universe. Sony Pictures Netherlands hosted a global fan event there on the very day the film’s second official teaser trailer was released, bringing Tom Holland and Zendaya together with the audience for a reveal shared around the world. The gates of the NDSM site, in Amsterdam’s Noord district, opened for a surprise finale scheduled for 10:15 p.m.
The finale took the form of a light show featuring 1,000 drones, designed by Allumee: the largest drone show ever staged in the Netherlands.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day, a global event for fans in Amsterdam
The event featured immersive Spider-Man experiences, photo opportunities, and live entertainment, leading up to the release of *Spider-Man: Brand New Day*, scheduled to hit theaters on July 31. Alongside Tom Holland and Zendaya, the film introduces newcomers Sadie Sink, Mark Ruffalo, and Jon Bernthal, fueling anticipation that has been building for several months. Sony chose Amsterdam to deliver the next chapter of this story to fans in person, rather than through a simple online release.
This choice of format was deliberate. While the film’s first trailer had been unveiled during a 24-hour global relay culminating at the Empire State Building, this second reveal required its own signature moment, designed specifically for a live audience. That moment took the form of a drone show designed to close out the evening as a spectacle in its own right.
How the Spider-Man drone show was created
Plan an event for a major movie franchise
The creative foundation for the show was laid by TWOFIFTYK, a leading Dutch agency specializing in creative design and brand experience. Their team developed a detailed storyboard, approved by Sony and Universal, that blends a comic-book-style 2D aesthetic with spectacular 3D sequences directly inspired by the film’s visual universe.
For Allumee’s creative team, this level of clarity was an asset rather than a constraint, explains Estelle, a 3D artist at Allumee.
“This is exactly the kind of project our creative team loves: a storyboard driven by a genuine narrative thread, created by artists for artists. When the vision is this clear, creativity is about taking something that’s already so well-crafted and figuring out how to shape it, bring it to life, and let it soar.”
— Estelle, 3D artist at Allumee
Behind the Scenes of the Production: Key Figures and Memorable Scenes
The show unfolded as a true visual narrative rather than a series of isolated images. It opened with a collage of 2D elements directly inspired by comic book panels, before transitioning to the film’s title and then to a series of striking 3D scenes: Spider-Man’s mask, his iconic descent and landing poses, and the instantly recognizable spider logo.
Each scene played with volume, light, and shadow rather than flat outlines—a deliberate choice to recreate the visual language of comics using drones instead of ink. The sound was precisely synchronized with every appearance and every climactic moment, transforming the night sky into a scene as cinematic as the film itself.
The show by the numbers:
- Drones deployed: 1,000
- Duration: 8 minutes
- Number of figures: 10
- Flight zone: 130 m wide / 70 m deep / 70 m high
The largest drone show ever produced by Allumee in the Netherlands
Flying 1,000 drones over a major European capital for one of the world’s most anticipated franchises marked a defining moment for Allumee’s local team.
“It’s a true vote of confidence that TWOFIFTYK chose Allumee to bring this finale to life. Flying 1,000 drones over Amsterdam for the first time, on such an important night for Spider-Man fans, is a milestone for our team and for what live entertainment can be in this market.”
— Yorick van Vliet, CEO of Allumee Nederland This project has also strengthened Allumee’s presence in Europe. Founded in 2020 and headquartered in France, the company now operates through local teams across Europe.
Why Brands Are Relying on Drone Shows for Their Global Campaigns
The Amsterdam show is part of a broader trend: the way studios and brands approach their major launches. Traditional reveal formats—whether a trailer or a product unveiling—are finding it increasingly difficult to capture attention in a saturated digital landscape. A large-scale, live visual event completely changes the equation.
There are several reasons why this format is gaining traction among international brands and studios:
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It creates a shared, real-time experience. Unlike a trailer watched alone on a phone screen, a drone show takes place in front of a live audience, generating an immediate collective reaction that is difficult to replicate online.
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It’s inherently shareable. A sky filled with iconic imagery from a movie is exactly the kind of content that spreads quickly on social media, extending the campaign’s reach far beyond those in attendance.
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It blurs the line between fiction and reality. Seeing a character’s mask or logo rendered in light, hovering above a real city, makes a franchise feel tangible in a way that no screen can match.
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It aligns with the brand’s vision. From an intimate campaign to a record-breaking production of 1,000 drones, the format adapts to the scale of the message being conveyed.
For Sony and Universal, the Amsterdam finale fulfilled exactly what is expected of a global marketing campaign: turning a trailer launch into a cultural moment—one that fans experienced collectively and will remember long after the drones have landed.
A partnership designed for global brand activations
This production was made possible thanks to the collaboration of two creative teams working toward a shared vision. TWOFIFTYK handled the storyboard and brand direction on the ground, while Allumee’s in-house art direction and proprietary drone technology brought that vision to life from the air.
This is the kind of partnership Allumee was built for: working alongside agencies, studios, and brands to create drone shows that don’t just light up the sky, but tell a story that people will remember.
From franchise launches to international brand activations, Allumee creates drone shows that get people talking. With a presence in Europe and on the international stage, the team is ready to bring the next big idea to life, wherever it needs to happen.
Would you like to know how a custom drone show could enhance your next launch? Contact the Allumee team.
Allumee designs custom drone shows to turn your next launch into an unforgettable experience.
