Robert Pattinson’s Box Office Bomb Puts Even More Pressure on Superman

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The anticipation is running high for James Gunn’s Superman, marking the start of a new phase in the DC Universe franchise. With immense expectations, the movie was already under a lot of strain to succeed financially, and now its challenges are only going to intensify. Conversely, Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17, a sci-fi film starring Robert Pattinson, appears set for a monumental flop at the box office for Warner Bros. As reported by Variety, the studio is likely to incur losses between $75-80 million on the project, which had an initial budget of $118 million. This loss estimate does not account for an additional $80 million spent on marketing expenses.

Following several setbacks, “Mickey 17” made its long-awaited debut in cinemas this month. Despite garnering favorable criticism, it experienced a challenging start during its premiere weekend. Interestingly enough, it managed to unseat “Captain America: Brave New World” from the number one position, yet its $19 million domestic opening was nothing extraordinary. At present, “Mickey 17” has amassed $35 million in the U.S. and an impressive $92.2 million globally.

Under the guidance of director James Gunn, the much-anticipated film titled Superman is set to hit theaters in July. The hype for this motion picture is building steadily, with Warner Bros. offering glimpses of the movie throughout winter. Apart from a teaser trailer, they even showcased a dedicated segment during the Puppy Bowl in February. Additionally, Gunn himself has been actively promoting the film on his social media platforms by sharing exclusive backstage photos.

It’s been suggested that there’s a lot more riding on the release of Superman than just the fate of the DC Universe. If Gunn’s reboot doesn’t live up to expectations, some believe Warner Bros. could face the same fate as Fox and be bought out by a larger corporation. The studio has been struggling lately. Mickey 17 is just the latest in a series of high-profile failures for them, with Joker: Folie à Deux being another costly disappointment.

If Mickey 17 had been a financial success, Warner Bros.’ concerns about being bought out might have eased somewhat, as it would have reduced the expectations for Superman’s performance. However, with Mickey 17 flopping at the box office, the DC film now faces increased pressure to be a massive hit. WB has several other notable movies set to release in the meantime, including A Minecraft Movie and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, but it remains uncertain how these films will perform financially. As we saw with Mickey 17, favorable reviews don’t always guarantee a large audience for non-franchise films these days.

It’s encouraging that a few of WB’s other 2025 films might do well at the box office, providing some financial cushion for Superman. Coogler is a well-known director with successful movies like Creed and Black Panther, which boosts the chances of Sinners. In September, Warner Bros. will premiere Paul Thomas Anderson’s film One Battle After Another, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Although Anderson isn’t typically a big box office draw, DiCaprio lends considerable celebrity appeal to the movie. Superman will face stiff competition in July from films like Jurassic World Rebirth and The Fantastic Four: First Steps; it’s expected to perform well, but could use any additional support it can get.

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2025-03-20 23:13