Superman has taken the box office and DCU fans by storm, grossing $250 million worldwide since its release on July 11. David Corenswet’s new iteration of the Man of Steel is a hit with fans and critics, as the film holds an 83% Rotten Tomatoes score with a 93% audience rating. But, while the figures suggest that Superman has been a runaway success, a closer look at the figures suggests a worrying trend for the DCU’s future, and a new report has confirmed that Superman wasn’t the blockbuster sensation that Warners and DC Studios initially expected.
A new report from Variety has revealed Warner Bros.’ reaction to Superman‘s international box office performance. While the film has kicked up a storm on US shores, it may have found its kryptonite abroad. Of its staggering $250 million take (so far), $155 million of that comes from the US, leaving $95 million from international markets. That’s not a bad performance for most movies. But, Warners needs Superman to be better than most movies if it is to act as the foundation for the future of the DCU. According to the report, Warner Bros’ general reaction to Superman‘s box office take was, “Good enough.” Although, one box office pundit summed up the reaction to Supes’ international take:
“For Superman to be one of the biggest summer blockbusters — not to mention reset an entire universe — the film needed to pack more punch in its debut. Obviously, the following weeks will tell the true box office tale, but this has to be viewed as a slightly underwhelming start for DC and WB”
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Fans and critics love James Gunn’s Man of Steel, but the film still falls short of what Marvel’s crème de la crème achieved theatrically.
At the time of writing, Warner Bros. and DC Studios are charging head first into the DCU’s future. Supergirl, the DCU’s next movie, just dropped its first poster, with many expecting a teaser trailer to be released in the coming weeks. Supergirl opens in theaters next June. Following Superman‘s opening weekend, DC Studios has also fast-tracked Wonder Woman’s standalone project into development. No major details about the project have been revealed so far.
‘Superman’ Has Another Giant Hurdle to Overcome
Superman‘s opening weekend may have been a success, at least, in the US, but the following weeks could prove to be a major challenge for DC Studios’ first movie. A recent report from Deadline foresees Superman‘s box office take dropping sharply in its second weekend. The report predicts a $60 million take for this coming weekend, which marks a staggering 52% decrease from the film’s debut.
While that is a major step down from its opening weekend, you’d be hard-pressed to call Superman a failure. The film is expected to maintain the No. 1 spot at the box office next weekend. The big question on fans’ and Warner Bros.’ minds is whether Superman will cross the $1 billion mark during its theatrical run. If that happens, expect DC Studios to greenlight another wave of new projects.
Superman is currently screening in theaters.
Superman
- Release Date
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July 11, 2025
- Runtime
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130 Minutes
- Director
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James Gunn
- Producers
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Lars P. Winther, Peter Safran
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