Superman opened to an estimated $122 million in North America this weekend, adding $95 million from overseas for a $217 million global bow.
It's a strong start for the DC Studios reboot, but one that's raised concerns about just how high the Man of Steel will fly in the weeks ahead. Jurassic World Rebirth took an expected bite out of the movie, while The Fantastic Four: First Steps is also fast approaching.
Fortunately, neither Smurfs nor I Know What You Did Last Summer are expected to pose much of a threat to Superman during its second weekend in theaters. The Wrap has, however, shared some valid concerns about the blockbuster's performance overseas.
Superman fell short of initial expectations with its $95 million international haul, meaning only 44% of its global cume came from those markets. That's left North America and Canada to do the heavy lifting, especially after it only grossed $13.3 million combined from China, Japan, and South Korea.
The movie also made less than expected in Europe, with a combined $9.6 million from France, Italy, and Spain. In the UK, it opened with $9.8 million, a decent start, albeit one likely negatively impacted by a recent heatwave in the country.
As the trade explains, "Along with general superhero fatigue internationally, Superman has never been the global box office draw that Batman is thanks to Christopher Nolan’s 'Dark Knight' trilogy."
"While there have been some arguments that the decline of the U.S.’s image under Donald Trump is impacting a hero that for decades was associated with 'Truth, Justice and the American Way' — even with Gunn downplaying that last part in his film — box office history suggests it’s not that simple."
Elaborating on that, the piece points out that 51% of Superman Returns' $391 million global gross came from domestic receipts. Man of Steel fared a little better with 56% of its $670 million haul coming internationally, but it also had the advantage of Christopher Nolan's name being attached to it a year after The Dark Knight Rises was released in theaters.
As a result, "Superman is shaping up to be a domestic-driven title." That stacks the odds against it being a huge hit, though we recently learned that Warner Bros. Discovery executives will be happy with an eventual $500 million haul.
While that figure won't lead to it turning a huge profit, it's enough for Superman to be considered a moderate success, a welcome change of pace for the DC brand after a series of box office flops like Black Adam, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and Joker: Folie à Deux.
Throw in the positive reviews, and the DCU is off to a good start. It will just be up to the likes of Supergirl and Clayface to build on this momentum, along with whatever it is Gunn has planned for 2027. Superman needs to have a great second weekend, though.
"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."
Superman is now playing in theaters.