With the weekend box office numbers exceeding initial projections for James Gunn's Superman, WBD CEO David Zaslav has issued a statement regarding the film's success. Check it out below.
Three years ago, I hired James Gunn and Peter Safran to reimagine and unify the creative direction of DC under one leadership team, by breathing new life and excitement into one of the most iconic storytelling franchises in the world. James and Peter’s commitment to honoring the legacy of the DC Universe while forging something new and enthralling is inspired.
I remember my first meeting with James three years ago. He spoke about growing up in Missouri and how the characters of the DC Universe weren’t just stories to him, they were like his family. His personal bond with these DC heroes was powerful and I knew then that James was the right person to bring them to life. His love for the DC world runs deep, and it shines in every frame of his work.
This weekend, we watched Superman soar as James Gunn’s passion and vision came to life on the big screen. Superman is just the first step. Over the next year alone, DC Studios will introduce the films Supergirl and Clayface in theaters and the series Lanterns on HBO Max, all part of a bold ten-year plan. The DC vision is clear, the momentum is real, and I couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead.
— David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery
After a rocky last few years, Zaslav has to be feeling bullish about the future of the studio.
A Minecraft Movie, Sinners, F1, Final Destination Bloodlines, and now Superman have all exceeded studio expectations. The remainder of the year includes Zach Cregger's Weapons, Leonardo DiCaprio's One Battle After Another, The Conjuring: Last Rites, and Mortal Kombat II.
There's a real chance that WBD ends 2025 as the highest-grossing film studio, a position usually reserved for Disney with their live-action remakes, MCU and Star Wars films.
Looking forward, Superman is now poised for a $250-$300 million domestic run, per several box office analysts.
According to reports, with the weight of worrying whether Superman would be financially successful off their shoulders, Gunn and Safran are now looking to release two live-action films and one animated film per year for the DCU. That's in addition to the television programs, such as Lanterns and Peacemaker, that get released on HBO Max.
Supergirl is set to hit theaters on June 26, 2026, while Clayface will debut on domestic cinema screens on Sept. 11, 2026.
On the animation side, the first flick, Dynamic Duo, isn't slated to arrive until 2028, so unless Gunn is planning to take inspiration from Beyoncé and drop a project with no warning or promotion, the earliest DC Studios could start its 2:1 ratio of live-action and animated theatrical releases is 2027.