Could Revive DC Films After Years Of Box Office Bombs

Topline

“Superman” earned $22.5 million at U.S. and Canada theaters from Thursday previews, apparently overcoming “anti-woke” backlash from right-wing critics—and possibly becoming the first big hit for DC Studios in years following a series of box-office bombs and critical flops.

“Superman” follows a string of box office bombs for DC Studios. (Photo by Maya Dehlin Spach/Getty … More Images)

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Key Facts

“Superman” made $22.5 million at the domestic box office on Thursday, multiple outlets reported, a higher total than recent blockbusters like “Barbie,” which made $22.3 million from previews in 2023, and “The Batman,” DC Studios’ last major hit.

The film looks likely to earn a nine-digit box office gross in its opening weekend: Variety reported DC Studios projected it would earn between $120 million and $130 million, while Deadline reported Friday morning it is estimating a higher $140 million to $150 million figure after the successful previews.

“Superman” boasts an 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the best-reviewed DC film since “The Suicide Squad” in 2021.

The film could reverse a trend of flops that has plagued DC since 2022, as nearly every film it released after “The Batman” was a box office bomb or panned by critics.

“Superman” is marketed as the first film in the DC Universe film franchise, a reboot of the DC Extended Universe, which spanned 15 films released between 2013 and 2023.

How Have Recent Dc Films Fared At The Box Office?

Most of DC’s recent films have been considered box office bombs. In 2023, four films were released as part of the DC Extended Universe, three of which—”Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” “The Flash” and “Blue Beetle”—just barely outgrossed their budget costs. “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” released in December 2023, grossed $439 million worldwide, more than double its reported budget, but the total is less than half of the billion dollars grossed by its 2018 predecessor, “Aquaman.” “Joker: Folie à Deux” —which is not part of the DCEU but is based on DC characters—also bombed at the box office in 2024, grossing about one-fifth of the billion dollars “Joker” made in 2019. Most of these films also received middling reviews: the “Aquaman” sequel has just a 33% on Rotten Tomatoes, while “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” scored a 49%. Scandals also plagued the DCEU, including “The Flash” star Ezra Miller’s string of erratic behavior and charges for harassment and disorderly conduct, as well as the resignation of Warner Bros.’ film studio chief Kevin Tsujihara in 2019 amid a sexual harassment scandal. Some analysts have also suggested both DC and Marvel have suffered from “superhero fatigue” in recent years, which prompted Marvel to pare back the number of releases it puts out each year and focus on quality.

How Is “superman” A Reboot For Dc?

“Superman” marks the launch of the DC Universe, created by James Gunn and Peter Safran, who serve as the co-CEOs of DC Studios. Gunn, who directed DC’s “The Suicide Squad” and multiple Marvel Cinematic Univese films, is the writer and director of “Superman.” Gunn said in 2022 they had begun mapping out an “eight to 10-year plan of what it’s going to look like in theater, in TV, in animation, across the board for these characters.” The rebooted franchise features David Corenswet playing the titular superhero, taking the role from Henry Cavill, who starred in multiple DCEU movies. Future films planned for the DCU include “Supergirl,” set for release in 2026, and “Clayface,” a horror film based on a villain from Batman comics.

Why Is “superman” Facing Right-Wing Backlash?

Some right-wing critics derided the film after Gunn likened Superman to an immigrant in an interview with The Sunday Times. The film was quickly labeled “Superwoke” by Fox News, as guest Kellyanne Conway said people “don’t go to the movie theater to be lectured to and to have somebody throw their ideology onto us.” Superman, though, has long been considered by fans and critics to be a metaphor for a refugee. The character was sent from the destroyed Krypton planet to live in Kansas, and its creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, were children of European Jewish immigrants.

Tangent

The White House’s official X account posted an image of President Donald Trump superimposed onto the “Superman” poster Thursday night. “THE SYMBOL OF HOPE. TRUTH. JUSTICE. THE AMERICAN WAY,” the post reads.