Kicking off the new DC Universe movie series, the film version of Superman is under a lot of pressure to perform well. Fortunately, director James Gunn’s reboot is making a strong debut at the box office. According to Deadline, the initial domestic earnings from pre-release screenings of Superman amounted to $22.5 million. This total includes ticket sales from Amazon Prime’s early access showings that took place earlier this week before the film officially hit theaters across the country. With these figures, the comic book adaptation currently holds the record for the highest-grossing preview screenings of the year, surpassing films like Lilo & Stitch ($14.5 million) and Captain America: Brave New World ($12 million).
In a notable turn of events, Superman’s preview screenings have surpassed all previous records set by James Gunn’s career, outshining even the impressive $17.5 million earned by 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. According to Deadline, it appears that Superman is poised to outrun the initial box office predictions, suggesting that the movie could well surpass expectations and emerge as one of the biggest blockbusters in 2025.
In early 2025, Warner Bros. found itself in a tough spot, with the sci-fi film “Mickey 17” being yet another flop for the studio, adding to the expectations for “Superman” to succeed. However, recent releases distributed by Warner Bros., including Gunn’s film, have been box office hits this year, helping to rejuvenate the industry. Following strong performances from movies like “A Minecraft Movie” and “Sinners”, “Superman” was projected to earn between $125-145 million domestically upon its opening weekend.
Warner Bros. Discovery is said to be content if “Superman” earns more than $500 million globally, a reasonable expectation given that it’s their main summer blockbuster. As for director James Gunn, he has consistently argued that the financial discussions about “Superman” have been exaggerated. For him, the film would be successful even if it merely covered its production costs.
2021 has witnessed two Marvel films underperform financially, sparking curiosity about how Superman would perform. Despite sharing the spotlight with another blockbuster, Jurassic World: Dominion, Superman’s iconic status and positive critic acclaim have given Gunn’s movie a box office advantage. It will be fascinating to observe how high Superman climbs in the full weekend earnings. While Jurassic World might maintain strong sales, especially in international markets where it enjoys immense popularity, Superman is expected to record one of the largest openings this year. This impressive debut marks a promising start for the DCU, setting the new franchise on a positive trajectory after the DC Extended Universe faced a rough reception.
It’s highly unlikely that Warner Bros. will be sold off like Fox was in the past, given its recent box office successes and the establishment of the DC Studios franchise. The success of Superman has boosted the confidence of Gunn and his team as they plan future movies, with two already scheduled for release next year (Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and Clayface). One question that remains is when fans can expect to see David Corenswet’s Superman again, as DC may choose to strike while the iron is hot and leverage the momentum from the first film.
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2025-07-11 19:41