The updated box office figures are in for Superman, and with a drop of only 54%, the DC Studios reboot is eyeing a $57 million second weekend in theaters. That takes its current domestic cume to an impressive $235 million.
2013's Man of Steel was the last solo outing featuring the character; for comparison's sake, it's worth noting that it dropped 65% during its second weekend with a $41 million haul, bringing its total to $210 million. Superman is very much in the same ballpark, albeit slightly ahead.
It's not a competition, but Superman outpacing its predecessor is good news for the DCU as it shows there's still an appetite for the character and that the Kryptonian can still soar, despite so-called "superhero fatigue."
Through Friday, Superman's international box office sits at $142.8 million, bringing its global total to $337.2 million. It should break $400 million by Sunday, but how much higher can it go with The Fantastic Four: First Steps fast approaching?
The Marvel Studios movie will hurt Superman, and it's likely to finish its run with upwards of $550 million - $650 million (it's too early to come up with a definite figure). Superman might just break even when all is said and done, but with a combined production and marketing budget of over $300 million, profitability seems doubtful.
What does that mean for Superman moving forward? DC Studios might take a risk on a sequel a few years from now, but James Gunn has strongly hinted that the character's next movie will be as part of a team-up project.
Ultimately, Warner Bros. Discovery will likely take comfort in having a DC movie which received positive reviews and wasn't a bomb.
"Is there something riding on it? Yeah, but it’s not as big as people make it out to be," Gunn recently said. "They hear these numbers that the movie’s only going to be successful if it makes $700 million or something and it’s just complete and utter nonsense. It doesn’t need to be as big of a situation as people are saying."
Did you head to theaters for another viewing of Superman this weekend?
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.
"Superman is an indescribable joy," we said in our review. "A beautiful, moving thrill, David Corenswet is the perfect Man of Steel in a movie packed full of ideas. Fortunately, under James Gunn’s expert direction, all of those work, creating a rousing experience that flies higher than DC has in a very long time."
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 is now playing in theaters.