DC Studios’ long-awaited revival of the Superman film has launched the film to a blistering start at the box office with a $122 million opening in the US. Globally, the film grossed $217 million in its first week. Written and directed by James Gunn, the film plays a key role in shaping the future of both DC Studios and Warner Bros.’ comic book universe. The film’s budget is $225 million.
Superman Gets Off to a Fast Start
Superman’s $95 million opening outside the US isn’t surprising. The character’s historical association with American symbols, coupled with the fact that this perception hasn’t fully broken in the global market, are among the factors contributing to this performance. On the day of the film’s release, former US President Donald Trump shared an image of himself in the Superman costume, further reinforcing this symbolism.
James Gunn is both the director and the president of DC Studios, and is attached to the project. Warner Bros. Gunn, appointed to the role by Discovery CEO David Zaslav, took the first step in rebuilding the DC universe from the ground up with Superman. Warner Bros.
Global Distribution President Jeff Goldstein commented on the film’s opening success, saying, “We wanted to earn the trust of DC fans, and we’ve done that with this first step.” Zaslav announced that following Superman, the Supergirl and Clayface films, which will be released next year, and the Lanterns series, which will air on HBO Max, are part of DC’s new ten-year plan.
The new Superman became the first superhero film to surpass the $100 million mark in a year. Deadpool & Wolverine, released in the summer of 2024, was the last major success, opening at $211 million.
James Gunn’s Superman became the third Hollywood film to surpass $100 million this year. The other two films were Warner Bros.’ Minecraft ($162.8 million) and Disney’s live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch ($146 million).
In the last eight years, DC has only surpassed the $100 million mark with three films. The other films to achieve this feat were 2017’s Wonder Woman ($103.3 million) and 2022’s The Batman ($134 million). The new Superman surpassed the opening record set by 2013’s Man of Steel, becoming the highest-grossing solo Superman film ever with $122 million.
The film also received positive reviews from moviegoers. It earned an A- on CinemaScore and a 94% Rotten Tomatoes audience score and an 82% critics’ score. High-tech IMAX and Dolby Cinema theaters accounted for approximately 50% of the total box office. IMAX revenue reached $30 million. The audience profile was 68% male, with a predominantly 18-34 age group.
The film stars David Corenswet as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The cast also includes Skyler Gisondo, Isabela Merced, Beck Bennett, Nathan Fillion, Anthony Carrigan, and Edi Gathegi.
James Gunn’s success demonstrates his strong transition from his directorial career on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy series to DC. Gunn and Peter Safran, tasked with reshaping the future of the DC universe, assumed the responsibility of bringing it together under one roof when they were appointed in 2022.
This opening is also seen as a major win for Warner Bros. With 2025’s Minecraft Movie, Sinners, and now Superman, the studio has produced six #1 opening films this year.
Meanwhile, Jurassic World Rebirth surpassed the $500 million mark in its second week at the box office. The film grossed $232 million in the US alone, reaching $62.7 million in China, making it close to becoming the highest-grossing Hollywood film of the year.
F1: The Movie also surpassed $375 million, and How to Train Your Dragon surpassed $560 million. Pixar’s Elio, meanwhile, remains one of the lowest-grossing films in the company’s history, despite grossing over $100 million.
