In a significant turn for DC Studios, James Gunn's new film, “Superman,” launched with a robust $122 million in ticket sales across the United States and Canada during its opening weekend, as indicated by studio estimates released on Sunday. This release marks the beginning of a new chapter for DC and Warner Bros., which have been facing challenges in the box office arena while competing with Marvel Studios, even as both franchises have encountered difficulties recently.
The performance of “Superman” is particularly noteworthy in light of past failures for DC films; titles such as “Joker: Folie à Deux,” “The Flash,” and “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” failed to find commercial success. Therefore, “Superman,” which Gunn has written and directed, is seen as a fresh start. It is the first project fully guided by Gunn and Peter Safran, co-heads of DC Studios, after they were appointed to oversee the DC cinematic universe.
James Gunn, known for his successful direction of "Guardians of the Galaxy,” has brought his unique storytelling style, which initially derived from his time as a B-movie filmmaker with Troma Entertainment, to a blockbuster brand like Superman. The film's opening weekend performance was the third largest for 2025 and marked DC's first debut exceeding $100 million since “Wonder Woman” in 2017.
However, the film underperformed internationally, accumulating $95 million across 78 foreign markets, which includes a mere $6.6 million from China. The release has also sparked political discussions, with certain right-wing commentators labeling the film as “woke” after Gunn referred to Superman as “an immigrant.” Echoing this sentiment, the White House shared an image on social media featuring former President Donald Trump depicted as Superman.
“Superman,” which had a production budget of approximately $225 million, takes a notably different tonal approach compared to prior portrayals by director Zack Snyder. Instead of revisiting Superman's Kansas origin, the film commences with the character, played by David Corenswet, following his initial defeat. The cast also includes Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
Although “Superman’s” opening fell short of the $166 million launch of Snyder's “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” in 2016, it did surpass the non-inflation adjusted debut of Snyder's “Man of Steel,” which opened with $116 million in 2013. Critics' reception for Gunn's rendition has been significantly more favorable than Snyder’s works; “Superman” holds an 82% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the highest for the franchise since the early films featuring Christopher Reeve: “Superman” (1978) and “Superman II” (1980). The audience gave it an “A-” grade on CinemaScore.
Despite its triumphs, “Superman” has faced considerable competition at the box office. The previous week's top film, “Jurassic World Rebirth,” fell to second place, generating $40 million in its second week. The film, featuring Scarlett Johansson, experienced a steep 57% decline in ticket sales, collecting a robust total of $318.3 million during its own initial release, with a cumulative global total of $529.5 million in two weeks.
Additionally, Apple Studios' largest box-office success to date, “F1,” continues to draw attention, securing third place with $13 million in its third weekend, amassing a global total of $393.4 million within three weeks. Nonetheless, it carries a substantial price tag estimated at $250 million, along with another $100 million for promotional expenses.
