Blue Beetle opened in theaters this weekend and things aren't looking good for the latest DC Extended Universe movie. A lower-than-expected $25 million domestic debut was bad enough, but the international numbers are in and, unfortunately, they're not good.
The movie has made only $18 million across 61 markets across five days; not only is that lower than Shazam! Fury of the Gods ($34.6 million) but it's also less than what Wonder Woman 1984 ($38.5 million) made during the height of the pandemic when theaters were at 25% capacity.
As a result, Blue Beetle has earned only $43.4 million at the global box office during its opening weekend.
There's been a lot of talk about the movie doing big numbers in Latin markets, but that $18 million included only $2.1 million from Brazil and $2.7 million from Mexico.
Even recent DCEU flops like Black Adam and The Flash performed better overseas, with $75.9 million and $75 million respectively. In fairness, both featured much bigger stars and at least some characters who are known to non-comic book readers.
The SAG-AFTRA strike won't have helped matters as it means the cast hasn't been able to promote the movie in the normal way. However, some junket interviews did take place prior to actors hitting the picket lines. Even The Flash only had Sasha Calle doing the rounds due to Michael Keaton being busy elsewhere and Ezra Miller's personal issues meaning he was only trotted out for a single red carpet appearance.
Considering the fact Blue Beetle is light on noteworthy stars, it's hard to imagine them actually being able to make a significant difference to its opening weekend.
There's a chance the DCEU movie will have legs, but it's not looking overly likely. While there are no huge titles on the horizon - Gran Turismo might pose some competition but September looks rather dull - word-of-mouth probably won't help, something that's evident from a B+ CinemaScore.
Even the Rotten Tomatoes score has now dipped to 76%, meaning it's a couple of percentage points away from losing "Certified Fresh" status. It's a shame to see Blue Beetle struggle in this way, especially as it appears to be objectively better than other recent DCEU titles.
The DCEU brand, however, appears to be damaged beyond repair.