NEW YORK – To kick off a new era of DC Studios, James Gunn’s “Superman” opened Sunday with $122 million in ticket sales across the US and Canada.
DC and Warner Bros. were banking a lot on this release. While they’ve faced struggles similar to those at Marvel Studios under Disney, DC’s recent superhero films have struggled in theaters. Productions like “Joker: Folly Addies,” “The Flash,” and “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” all ended up as disappointments.
Nonetheless, “Superman,” written and directed by Gunn, is seen as a fresh start. This release marks the first fully guided effort by DC Studios co-heads Gunn and Peter Safran, who were recently entrusted with shaping the cinematic universe of DC’s superheroes.
Gunn previously turned “Guardians of the Galaxy” into a hit for Marvel, transitioning from a B-movie director with Troma Entertainment to a major player in the industry. His approach has been unique, establishing a strong rapport with one of the film sector’s most cherished franchises.
The opening weekend figures make this the third largest launch of 2025, marking the first DC film to surpass $100 million in its opening weekend since “Wonder Woman” in 2017. This gives Warner Bros. a reason to celebrate amidst a somewhat favorable period.
“This is quite a win for DC Studios,” commented Jeffrey Goldstein, head of distribution at Warner Bros. “We needed to earn the trust of our fanbase, and that was a challenge.”
However, ticket sales for “Superman” were not as strong internationally, bringing in $95 million across 78 foreign markets. Notably, China contributed only $6.6 million.
David A. Gross, who leads the film consulting firm Franchise, suggested that the movie’s international performance was the only downside to an otherwise robust opening. He noted, “So far, the international debut doesn’t compare to the domestic figures. Superman is often seen as a quintessentially American character, and in some regions, America doesn’t have its highest favor right now.”
The film also sparked political discussions in the US. Some right-wing commentators labeled it as “woke” after Gunn referred to the Kryptonian hero as an “immigrant.” Interestingly, the White House even shared a depiction of President Donald Trump as Superman on social media.
With a production budget of around $225 million, “Superman” takes a different tone from its predecessors under Zack Snyder. Skipping the familiar Kansas origins, the film begins after Superman (played by David Cornswett) has faced his first defeat. Rachel Brosnahan stars as Lois Lane, while Nicholas Holt takes on the role of Lex Luthor.
The opening didn’t quite reach the $166 million debut of Snyder’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” from 2016, but it did surpass the first “Superman” entry in 2013, which opened at $116 million.
While Snyder’s films were often met with criticism, “Superman” appeared to be better received, garnering 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, aligning with the positive reception of Christopher Reeve’s classic films from 1978 and 1980. Audience scores were also solid, resulting in an “A-” cinema rating.
Moreover, “Superman” faced stiff competition. The previous week’s top film, “Jurassic World Rebirth,” trailed in second place with $40 million. This latest addition to the franchise, from Universal Pictures, has dropped 57% since its opening weekend but has achieved a global total of $318.3 million, with $529.5 million worldwide over two weeks.
The success of Apple Studios’ “F1,” an action thriller starring Brad Pitt, also contributed to the overall box office rankings, securing third place with $13 million in its third weekend, and bringing in $393.4 million globally so far. Its production cost was at least $100 million, alongside a hefty budget nearing $250 million.
Top 10 films by domestic box office revenue:
- Superman – $122 million
- Rebirth of Jurassic World – $40 million
- F1 – $13 million
- How to Train a Dragon – $7.8 million
- Elio – $3.9 million
- 28 Years From Now – $2.7 million
- Lilo & Stitch – $2.7 million
- Mission: Impossible – Final Calculation – $1.5 million
- M3GAN 2.0 – $1.4 million
- The Materialist – $720,498
