James Gunn’s Superman Passes Major Marvel Sequel at Box Office

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At World’s End, and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Considering that we’re not accounting for almost two decades of inflation between Spider-Man 3 and Superman, when adjusted to 2025 dollars, Spider-Man 3’s lifetime domestic earnings amount to approximately $524.3 million – a figure it’s unlikely Superman will surpass. It’s also worth noting that Spider-Man 3 was significantly more popular internationally, even before adjusting for inflation. The worldwide gross of Spider-Man 3 is $890.8 million, while Superman’s current global total is $588.7 million. Nevertheless, it’s noteworthy that the first film in the DC Universe has managed to reach these figures, particularly since other superhero films have underperformed at the box office this year.

Reinforced by praise from critics and robust audience buzz, the film Superman surpassed domestic box office predictions, earning $125 million during its inaugural weekend. Its performance remained steady in recent weeks, securing the position of the top-grossing superhero movie of the year. The impressive success of Superman at the box office might have extended its theater run, had it not been for the premiere of Peacemaker Season 2 this month.

The achievement of Superman has sparked enthusiasm for what’s to come in the DC Universe. James Gunn has confirmed he’s currently engrossed in a new project for Superman, with plans to start filming soon. Similarly, films based on Batman and Wonder Woman are being developed, but as of now, no release dates have been announced.

In comparison to the movie “Superman,” some significant titles that rank higher on the all-time chart are “Zootopia” ($341.6 million), “Thor: Love and Thunder” ($343.2 million), and “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” ($345.5 million). It’s intriguing to witness how high “Superman” can ascend before its theater run concludes. Now, the film is accessible for rental or purchase on digital PVOD platforms like Apple and Amazon, which may reduce the motivation for audiences to watch it in theaters. Given that “Superman” is now available on home media, we might expect a further decrease in box office sales, especially after last weekend’s earnings of $7.9 million.

No matter where it eventually ranks among all-time movies, Superman has successfully achieved its intended goals. Prior to Gunn’s film, DC was struggling with only one major box office hit, The Batman from 2022, in recent years. Now, thanks to this successful movie, the DC Universe (DCU) is off to a solid start, providing Gunn and Peter Safran the opportunity to further refine their ten-year plan for the franchise. Fingers crossed, Superman will pave the way for many more blockbuster hits from DC Studios.

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2025-08-17 19:48