Box Office: DC’s ‘Superman’ Flexes Impressive Staying Power, Flies Past $400M Globally

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Superman has become an instant hit at the box office, marking a successful debut for DC Studios, owned by Warner Bros., in a role that is well-received by the audience. This victory is shared by James Gunn, who also directed the film and Peter Safran, its producer.

In its second week, the high-profile blockbuster was expected to maintain its position at the top of the U.S. box office charts. However, predictions varied widely regarding how well it would continue to perform.

Despite modest expectations, bolstered by positive word of mouth and reviews, the film saw a decrease of 54% to $57.2 million, totaling $235 million domestically over ten days. Abroad, where Superman’s pro-American themes have historically faced challenges, an estimated $45.2 million was added, bringing the international total to $171.8 million and a global sum of $406.8 million. This represents a significant triumph for DC and Warner Bros., as they surpassed Disney to claim the top spot in the domestic market share for the year so far. The film, catering predominantly to males, is encountering intense competition overseas from Universal’s “Jurassic World Rebirth” and Apple Original Film’s Formula One-action adventure “F1: The Movie,” which Warner Bros. is assisting in distributing internationally.

In this production, David Corenswet takes on the lead role as Superman, while Rachel Brosnahan plays Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult portrays Lex Luthor. The supporting cast includes 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.

Following several years of Marvel Studios largely ruling the superhero genre, DC is experiencing success. In just its second weekend, Superman has already surpassed the entire lifetime gross of Marvel’s Thunderbolts, which peaked at approximately $383 million globally this year. Soon, it will also exceed Marvel’s 2025 release, Captain America: Brave New World, which earned a modest $415 million worldwide.

This version aims to maintain the original message while using more natural and easy-to-read language for a smoother reading experience.

Marvel anticipates that things might start looking up for them when the movie “Fantastic Four: First Steps” premieres in theaters on July 25. This means that Superman doesn’t have much time left before facing head-on competition, and also losing Imax screens and other large-format premium screens to the Fantastic Four film, which is projected to open with earnings between $130 million and $140 million.

Moving on, let’s talk about the other movies. Over at the box office this weekend, the ongoing rival, “Jurassic World Rebirth,” continues its strong performance. It surpassed $600 million globally, ending the weekend with a total of $647 million worldwide. Securing the second spot, it earned an estimated $23.4 million domestically, bringing its overall domestic earnings to $276.2 million. Meanwhile, Universal’s live-action “How to Train Your Dragon” remains a force to be reckoned with weeks later and is also nearing the $600 million mark worldwide.

Columbia and Screen Gems’ latest adult-oriented film, titled “I Know What You Did Last Summer“, earned approximately $12-$13 million in its debut, which aligns with the more conservative projections following a lackluster response from both critics and viewers.

As a fan, I’m thrilled to see Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., and the rest of the original cast back in action, including Sarah Michelle Gellar and Brande. However, this new installment is primarily focusing on a fresh batch of characters, introducing us to Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, Sarah Pidgeon, and Gabbriette Bechtel.

In the sequel to the 1997 movie with the same title, the narrative unfolds about three decades later, focusing on a close-knit group who attempt to hide the consequences of an unintentional fatality they caused. Fast forward a year, one member receives a chilling message written in the film’s title. Subsequently, a menacing figure dressed as a fisherman, armed with a metal hook, starts brutally murdering them one by one. As the body count rises, they seek help from the two survivors of the infamous Southport Massacre of 1997, portrayed by actors Hewitt and Prinze.

The reboot hasn’t been warmly received by critics, as evidenced by its 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. On the other hand, audiences graded the movie with a C+ on CinemaScore, which is somewhat typical for a horror film.

The Smurfs movie is projected to finish in fourth place with around $11 million to $12 million, as anticipated due to mild expectations. Critics haven’t been particularly impressed by the animated family film, but it did receive a B+ rating from CinemaScore. The voice cast boasts an impressive roster including Rihanna making her debut as a Smurf, followed by Nick Offerman, Natasha Lyonne, Sandra Oh, Alex Winter, Billie Lourd, Maya Erskine, John Goodman, Kurt Russell, and Jimmy Kimmel.

Chris Miller’s film, titled “Smurfs“, marks the start of a new chapter for the theatrical series after eight years. Rihanna plays Smurfette, adding dance and music to the movie. The narrative revolves around Smurfette spearheading a mission to rescue their leader, which leads them from Paris, Munich, and the Australian Outback, where they encounter tiny, bird-like creatures called Snooterpoots. Natasha Lyonne lends her voice to their leader.

The movie “Eddington” by A24 debuted at the sixth position, earning $4.3 million, which was a bit lower than anticipated, even though there was much excitement surrounding it and it boasted a stellar ensemble.

More to come.

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2025-07-20 17:55