Superman box office explained: Did it beat Man of Steel’s opening weekend?

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there’s been plenty of chatter regarding James Gunn’s Superman’s box office performance during its first weekend, with a focus on how it stacks up against Man of Steel.

Following a less-than-favorable reception for Green Lantern from both critics and audiences, Zack Snyder was tasked with launching the DCEU (DC Extended Universe) by offering a more grounded, grim interpretation of Superman in Man of Steel. This movie achieved moderate success, albeit with mixed reactions, earning approximately $670 million globally and receiving a 57% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Regrettably, it seemed to foreshadow future events: Batman v Superman fell short, Justice League was a catastrophe, and the DCEU met its end. Now, James Gunn and Peter Safran have initiated the revamped DCU, with Superman taking the helm once more.

Regardless of the heated debates between fans of Snyder and Gunn, both films are often compared by critics and regular viewers. Let’s separate opinions from facts and discuss the details instead.

How much has Superman made at the box office?

In total, Superman has earned approximately $217 million globally, with around $122 million of that sum being generated in the United States, while an additional $95 million was made from other countries.

Among the top domestic movie premieres this year, this release ranks third, following “Lilo & Stitch” with earnings of $146 million and “A Minecraft Movie” bringing in $162 million.

In a more conversational tone: This debut is one of the three biggest home releases we’ve seen so far this year. It trails slightly behind “Lilo & Stitch” ($146 million) and “A Minecraft Movie” ($162 million).

David A. Gross, head of the FranchiseRe film consultancy, informed Variety: “Domestically, this opening is exceptional. Any potential weakness appears to be in foreign markets.

Superman is generally perceived as an American creation, but it’s worth noting that America isn’t particularly admired everywhere at this moment.

In terms of global popularity, Superman lags behind characters like Batman and Spider-Man. For instance, the latest Batman movie grossed $124.2 million internationally even with age restrictions in certain regions, such as the UK where viewers under 15 were not allowed to watch it in theaters.

Yet, it’s set new benchmarks. It achieved Gunn’s highest preview box office collection ($22.5 million), and without taking inflation into account, its domestic debut surpasses the opening weekend earnings of any standalone Superman film to date. Moreover, this is the first time a DC movie has grossed over $100 million domestically during its initial weekend release since Wonder Woman in 2017.

Did Superman beat Man of Steel?

In its initial weekend, Superman earned a higher box office gross than Man of Steel, excluding the preview earnings from Thursday and considering no adjustments for inflation.

In 2013, the film Man of Steel grossed more than $200 million worldwide in its opening week, with about $116.6 million earned from U.S. cinemas. However, it’s important to note that this total doesn’t account for the additional $12 million it made during Thursday previews. Unlike traditional box office reports for Superman films, this figure does not include income generated from early screenings on Prime Video.

If you add that figure to Man of Steel’s domestic debut, it made $128.6 million.

Rewritten: Adjusted for inflation and accounting for pre-release screenings, Man of Steel’s opening weekend box office earnings would equate to approximately $170 million in current dollar terms.

Instead of relying on the point of inflation, the absence of Man of Steel’s preview performance in numerous articles provides a stronger case. If we take this into account, then it can be deduced that Richard Donner’s Superman (which earned $300 million globally) would have surpassed the $1 billion mark when adjusted for today’s monetary value.

How much money does Superman need to make?

According to reports, Superman’s box office earnings must reach $700 million to be deemed successful. However, James Gunn has called this claim “completely false” or “nonsense”.

Typically, a film’s break-even point is roughly set at about twice its production cost – for instance, the movie ‘Superman’ was projected to cost approximately $225 million.

Gunn mentioned to GQ that this isn’t the most perilous venture one could undertake. There is indeed something significant associated with it, but compared to what others claim, it’s relatively small.

They’re told that the film can only be considered a success if it earns around $700 million, but this claim is utterly baseless. The movie doesn’t necessarily have to gross as much as some are claiming.

David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, appears enthusiastic following Superman’s successful debut at the box office. In a statement, he expressed, “Over the weekend, we witnessed Superman take flight as James Gunn’s enthusiasm and creativity were beautifully brought to life on the cinema screen.

Superman sets the stage, with Supergirl, Clayface, and Lanterns (a series) joining the scene over the next year in cinemas and HBO Max respectively. This is all part of a daring ten-year plan by DC Studios. Their vision is crystal clear, the energy is palpable, and I’m thrilled about what the future holds!

The latest Superman film is currently playing in cinemas near you! If you can’t make it to the theater right now, find out where you can stream Superman online and learn about its duration. Also, don’t forget to stay tuned for any post-credits scenes that might provide some exciting hints for future movies. Finally, check out our review of all Superman movies to help you decide which ones are worth watching!

You could also explore the argument for why Robert Pattinson is a strong contender for the role of Batman in the DC Universe, and one key strength that “Man of Steel” exhibited compared to Gunn’s film.

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2025-07-14 14:49