Box Office: ‘Superman’ Saves the Day for DC Studios With Solid $115M-$120M Domestic Opening

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James Gunn’s “Superman” movie could break a domestic box office opening record, with estimated earnings of $115 million to $120 million. It took the top spot on Friday’s earnings chart, raking in $56.5 million, and an additional $22.5 million from advance ticket sales.

The film seems to be effectively reviving DC Studios and its renowned comic book series. Gunn holds a unique role as both the screenwriter and director of the movie, as well as co-managing Warner Bros.-owned DC alongside Peter Safran. Furthermore, Superman is simultaneously set for release in 78 international markets, anticipating earnings of over $100 million against a production budget of $225 million, excluding marketing costs.

In North America, Superman will be the first superhero film to surpass $100 million on its opening weekend since “Deadpool & Wolverine” from Marvel Studios and Ryan Reynolds, which earned $211 million in summer 2024. This marks a significant milestone as it’s also the first DC title to reach this figure in eight years, last achieved by Wonder Woman with its opening weekend of $103.3 million in 2017. The term “superman fatigue” has been used frequently in Hollywood due to this trend.

If it exceeds $116.7 million, Gunns’ movie will have the largest initial release for a standalone superhero film, without considering inflation, of course.

Gunn’s film became the third Hollywood release of 2025 to surpass $100 million in earnings, following in the footsteps of “A Minecraft Movie” that grossed an impressive $162.8 million, and “Lilo & Stitch” which accumulated $146 million. Achieving a box office revenue of over $100 million is quite remarkable for any film in the post-pandemic period, especially within the struggling superhero genre.

James Gunn is particularly renowned for his role as the creative genius behind the successful Marvel series, “Guardians of the Galaxy”. The second installment of this series, released unadjusted for inflation, grossed a staggering $146.5 million on its opening weekend in the U.S., marking Gunn’s highest domestic debut to date. The upcoming third movie in the series, slated for release in 2023, made a strong start with box office earnings of $118.2 million on its first day.

As the weekend approaches, there has been a lot of interest in the opening performance of “Superman”. The buzz surrounding the film has also been significant, with even President Donald Trump expressing his thoughts on social media by sharing a meme depicting himself as the new Man of Steel. Tracking services anticipated that “Superman” would earn over $130 million, but other studios warned that the market is oversaturated with male-oriented films, such as Universal’s Independence Day blockbuster “Jurassic World Rebirth” and “F1: The Movie”, produced by Apple Original Films and Warner Bros.

Based on exit polls conducted on Friday, approximately 68% of people who bought tickets for the “Superman” film were males, while around 65% of the viewers fell within the age range of 18 to 34. Typically, fanboys are quick to watch movies during opening weekends, but older moviegoers tend to wait and avoid the crowds. Regarding gender distribution, it’s expected that the audience will become more balanced over time.

The film aims to thrive with word-of-mouth praise and have a lasting impact. Both critics and viewers are warmly receiving this movie, as demonstrated by its A- CinemaScore from audiences, matching that of Man of Steel and surpassing the B+ score of Superman Returns. Additionally, it boasts a remarkable 94% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes (compared to a 82% critics’ rating). One significant asset is its title coinciding with a July event, which caters to a broad and diverse audience.

It’s unlikely that Superman will set any significant domestic box office records for director James Gunn, who is famed for his work on the hit Marvel series Guardians of the Galaxy. The second installment of Guardians had Gunn’s highest domestic opening at $146.5 million (unadjusted for inflation), while the third one, slated for 2023, opened with $118.2 million.

Or in a more conversational way:

Superman probably won’t make history as far as domestic box office records go for director James Gunn, who is best known for his work on the popular Marvel movies Guardians of the Galaxy. The second movie from that series had Gunn’s biggest opening at $146.5 million, not accounting for inflation, and the third one, coming out in 2023, opened with $118.2 million.

Speaking about the Superhero series, Zack Snyder’s movie “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” (2016) smashed records with a domestic debut of $166 million, without inflation adjustments. This figure surpassed the opening earnings of Snyder’s earlier standalone Superman film, “Man of Steel” (2013), which grossed $116.7 million domestically upon release. Moreover, Bryan Singer’s “Superman Returns” (2006) recorded a North American opening of over $84 million during its first six days.

The main character in this production is David Corenswet as Superman, with Rachel Brosnahan taking on the role of Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult portraying Lex Luthor. Other cast members include Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, and Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific.

The movie represents the initial DC film venture for Gunn, who assumed control of the superhero franchise jointly with Safran in November 2022. Other forthcoming projects by DC Studios include the HBO series titled “Lanterns,” based on Green Lantern, and a Supergirl movie set to release in 2026.

In other cinemas, the movie “Jurassic World Rebirth” is projected to earn approximately $39 million during its second week in North America, bringing its total earnings to around $230.9 million. This blockbuster made $147.8 million in its first five days, with $92 million coming from the three-day weekend – its official opening figure – as it opened on July 2, a Wednesday, to maximize holiday revenues.

As a gamer, I’m hyped to know that “F1: The Movie” is cruising towards another $10 million this weekend, currently sitting in third place with a total of nearly $140 million in North American box office earnings so far. It looks like family-friendly flicks like “How to Train Your Dragon” and “Elio” are set to join it in the top five.

Numbers will be updated Sunday morning.

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2025-07-12 19:24