Supergirl has arrived in theaters, and moviegoers have now weighed in with their thoughts on the second DCU movie from James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Studios.
Audiences have awarded the Woman of Tomorrow's solo outing a B-, making it one of the lowest-rated DC Comics adaptations ever. The only DC movie to score lower than a B this century is Joker Folie á Deux, which received a D.
Every DCEU movie received a B or above (yes, even Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom), effectively making Supergirl worse than any of those blockbusters, according to this rating system.
Remember, CinemaScore is a market research firm that surveys audience reactions to newly released movies. After attending opening night screenings, moviegoers rate films on an A+ to F scale, providing insights into audience satisfaction. Widely used in the film industry, CinemaScore helps gauge the initial reception of movies and influences box office predictions based on audience feedback.
A CinemaScore is not going to decide whether anyone goes to see Supergirl this weekend. However, it is indicative of word-of-mouth and a troubling sign for the movie's opening weekend. Opening weekend estimates have declined from $70 million to $39 million since it first hit tracking.
Unlike platforms like Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb, CinemaScore can't be hijacked by unhappy fans, so this is a solid indication of how the audience feels about the second DCU movie. On Rotten Tomatoes, Supergirl has been awarded 76% on the "Popcornmeter," but that's also on the low side for a modern superhero movie.
The most troubling thing about this score is what it says about how moviegoers will perceive the DC brand moving forward. While Creature Commandos and Peacemaker Season 2 were received well, they didn't reach a mainstream audience. Superman, however, was considered a major turning point for the brand. Now, the goodwill it created has taken a hit, which could hurt Clayface and Man of Tomorrow.
Supergirl joins Captain America: Brave New World, the lowest-rated MCU movie with a B-. In terms of other Marvel movies, this effort joins Dark Phoenix and 2003's Hulk. Fortunately, it sits above Madame Web and Morbius, both of which received a C+.
"Bad writing, gratuitous cameos, and uninspired visuals take us back to the bad old days of the DCEU in Supergirl, a showcase for the super-talented Milly Alcock, but Kryptonite to anyone who likes good superhero movies," we wrote in our review of the movie.
Supergirl is now playing in theaters.