James Gunn's Superman finished its theatrical run with a reported $613 million global haul. While some feel that the first DCU movie - and the iconic DC Comics hero's long-awaited return to the big screen - really should have performed a little better, the reboot still emerged as the highest-grossing comic book film of the year, surpassing all three Marvel Studios releases, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Captain America: Brave New World, and Thunderbolts*.
Variety recently reported that Superman ultimately made a profit of $125 million for Warner Bros./DC Studios, but analysts believe that the movie may have run up a budget of over $330 million after P&A (all marketing, advertising, publicity, promotion and releasing costs) is factored in.
Though some took Variety's report at face value, the numbers simply didn't add up for others.
During last night's episode of The Hot Mic, co-host Jeff Sneider pointed out that the majority of that $125 million most likely came from ancillary profits (ie, cable rights, VOD, etc), and that Superman probably only made a theatrical profit of around $25 million.
The studio hasn't released any official numbers so it's impossible to know for sure, but this does seem to make a bit more sense when you do the math!
At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. The studio was clearly happy enough with Superman's box office performance, as we recently learned that
Man of Tomorrow will hit theaters on July 9, 2027. Production is expected to get underway next summer.
Superman also stars Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific, and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho (we wouldn't be at all surprised if they also return for Man of Tomorrow).
The cast also features Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell as "Ma" and "Pa" Kent, and Milly Alcock's Supergirl makes her DCU debut ahead of her own Woman of Tomorrow movie.
"And that’s a wrap," Gunn posted last year when filming concluded. "God bless our cast and crew whose commitment, creativity, and hard work have brought this project to life. I set out to make a movie about a good man in a world that isn’t always so much. And the goodness and kindness and love I’ve encountered on a daily basis on the set has inspired me and thrust me forward when I felt too spent to move on my own.
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. It has been an honor. The destination has been Superman, but the journey has been the toil and the laughter and the emotions and ideas and magic we’ve shared together on set - and for that I am forever grateful."
You can check out a synopsis for the movie below.
"In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind."