The Man of Steel has returned — and he’s brought a powerful box office punch.
Superman, DC Studios’ major reboot starring David Corenswet, soared to $122 million in its domestic debut this weekend, marking the year’s third-largest opening behind A Minecraft Movie and Lilo & Stitch. Globally, the film stands at $217 million, including \$95 million from international markets.
The strong domestic showing is a win for Warner Bros. and DC, which are banking on Superman to launch a new, interconnected superhero universe. It’s also a critical test for director James Gunn, who co-leads DC Studios and is reshaping its creative direction following years of box office misfires.
Audiences embraced Gunn’s lighter, more hopeful take on the character, with the film earning an “A-” CinemaScore and 82% on Rotten Tomatoes. IMAX screens played a major role in its success, contributing \$19.1 million of North American revenue.
While U.S. fans showed up in droves, international turnout was slightly below expectations, a trend analysts attribute to Superman’s deeply American identity. Still, Warner Bros. sees momentum: sequels and spin-offs like Supergirl and Clayface are already in development.
The film edged out Jurassic World Rebirth for the top spot, as the dinosaur reboot tumbled 57% in its second weekend, earning \$40 million. Apple’s F1, starring Brad Pitt, took third with \$13 million, bringing its global total to $393 million.
In fourth and fifth place were How to Train Your Dragon ($7.8 million) and Pixar’s Elio ($4 million), the latter on track to finish its run well below profitability.
As summer box office heats up, Superman may prove to be the hero Warner Bros. needs, not just to lift ticket sales, but to revive faith in DC’s cinematic future.
Source: Variety