New Superman Reboot Faces Challenges in China
James Gunn’s reboot of Superman, which debuted this weekend, comes with hefty production and promotional costs estimated between $300 million and $400 million. The film, featuring David Corenswet, critically needs a strong box office showing in China, where DC Studios has struggled with previous superhero films. Early ticket sales in the country hint at potential challenges.
According to the Indian entertainment site Koimoi, Superman’s pre-sale figures in China have not been promising. They noted that only 29,000 screenings were available for pre-sale, suggesting that collections could rise but remain limited. As of now, the film has accumulated just $368K from July 10th to 13th, with three days left before its official release on Friday.
Here’s how the pre-sale numbers break down:
- Thursday, July 10: $133K
- Opening Day, July 11: $91K
- Saturday, July 12: $137K
- Sunday, July 13: $6K
- Total: $368K
In comparison, other recent films had significantly higher pre-sale figures, such as:
- Dune 2: $1.3 million
- Aquaman 2: $977K
- Jurassic World: Dominion: $526K
- Superman: $368K
Interestingly, Jason Momoa’s 2023 Aquaman 2 managed to pull in $65 million in China, a notable success for the studio. In contrast, films like Black Adam and Blue Beetle never made it to Chinese theaters, while Wonder Woman 1984 only earned around $25 million during its time there. This trajectory paints a challenging picture for Superman, which seems to be lagging behind Aquaman 2‘s previous pre-sale results.
Warner Bros. is clearly hoping for a turnaround with Superman, aiming for a strong performance both domestically and globally. The pre-sale numbers, while they don’t tell the whole story, indicate a certain level of waning enthusiasm for this new entry in the DC lineup.
Initial reviews for Superman have been relatively positive, suggesting that the studio is looking for this film to reboot a franchise fraught with previous missteps. However, Warner Bros. typically sees less than half of ticket sales during the crucial opening weeks. They are banking on a best-case scenario that could yield around $150 million domestically, but again, that figure could be less once international markets are considered.
Meanwhile, Gunn faces challenges back home, navigating some criticism over the film’s political undertones and messaging. While this may not directly impact its performance in China, it highlights the razor-thin margins in the film’s reception.
Superman officially hits theaters on July 11th.
