Superman director James Gunn and his cast are currently touring the world to promote the first DC Studios movie, but will it pay off when the reboot opens in North America next weekend?
Tracking has been all over the place for this one, though the trades recently reported that $125 million - $145 million was looking likely (which was a dip from very early estimates of $185 million - $200 million). At the time, many of those outlets also suggested Superman could debut on the lower end, with as little as $90 million.
With a rumoured budget of $225 million, not including marketing, that would be a disastrous start for the DCU. Gunn has said he'd be fine with breaking even, but a blockbuster that barely turns a profit is hardly a win for a brand already running on fumes.
Talking on The Hot Mic podcast, Jeff Sneider revealed, "I'm hearing the Superman pre-sales are slowing down a little bit. I have some sources saying this is looking at a $100 million opening, if that. I have been bullish on this, saying this movie is going to do $160 million - $175 million. I think that what's becoming more realistic is $120 million - $140 million."
Explaining why tracking for any movie is notoriously unreliable, the insider used the example of M3GAN 2.0, which flopped this past weekend. "Tracking is nonsense...M3GAN 2.0 was looking at a $45 million opening...it opened at $10 million," he said. "Tracking is the biggest scam in Hollywood."
Warner Bros. Discovery has gone all out on Superman's marketing campaign, giving it the Barbie treatment (at the moment, it's near-impossible not to turn your head and find the Man of Steel somewhere). If these numbers are accurate, it's not paying off.
Superhero fatigue does appear real with non-fans, and Superman isn't a draw on the same level as fellow icons Batman and Spider-Man. The movie is also lacking an A-List star, though the same could be said for many comic book franchises at launch.
Perhaps we should have expected a little controversy on the press tour, as comments from Gunn during an interview with Reel Rejects have upset many fans on social media. The filmmaker was asked how he deals with his online detractors—it's hard to think of another director/studio head who spends anywhere near as much time online—and may have chosen his words poorly while responding.
"I do tune out most of social media, but every once in a while someone will say something, it's always the weirdest stuff...and then I go, 'I think I might be getting upset about something a 12-year-old in India is saying.' You know what I mean? And I'm like, 'Let it go'"
While Gunn surely didn't mean to offend with these remarks, some have questioned the necessity of using India as an example. Others are simply annoyed that their complaints about the way he's handled the DCU have been so casually dismissed.
Again, this one isn't worth reading too much into, but it does go to show that anything said on these press tours is dissected, and not always in a positive light!
Do you have your tickets for Superman yet?
Superman, DC Studios' first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures.
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.
The movie stars David Corenswet in the dual role of Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
Also appearing are Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, Sara Sampaio, María Gabriela de Faría, Wendell Pierce, Alan Tudyk, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Neva Howell, and Milly Alcock.
Superman arrives in theaters on July 11, 2025.