Superman's $122 Million Box Office Take

A New Dawn for DC Studios with “Superman” Box Office Success

James Gunn’s highly anticipated film “Superman” has made a significant impact on the box office, marking a potential turning point for DC Studios. The movie opened with $122 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales over the weekend, signaling a promising start for the studio under the leadership of Gunn and Peter Safran.

This strong opening comes at a crucial time for DC and Warner Bros., who have faced challenges in recent years with several superhero films underperforming. Titles like “Joker: Folie à Deux,” “The Flash,” and “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” did not meet expectations, leading to a need for a fresh approach. “Superman” is seen as a new beginning, representing the first major release fully managed by Gunn and Safran since they took charge of DC’s cinematic universe.

Gunn, known for his work on the “Guardians of the Galaxy” series, brings a unique perspective to the iconic character. His unconventional style, which initially gained attention through B-movie projects with Troma Entertainment, now offers a different take on one of the most beloved superheroes. The film’s opening was the third-largest of 2025 and the first DC title to surpass $100 million in its opening weekend since “Wonder Woman” in 2017.

Warner Bros. also celebrated a notable achievement, as “Superman” became their fifth consecutive film to open over $45 million. This success highlights the studio’s efforts to regain audience trust and rebuild its brand.

While the domestic performance was impressive, the international reception was more mixed. In 78 markets, the film grossed $95 million, with China contributing only $6.6 million. Analyst David A. Gross noted that while the domestic numbers are strong, the international performance remains a concern. He suggested that the character’s American identity may be a factor in its limited appeal in some regions.

The film also sparked political discussions, particularly among right-wing commentators who criticized it as “woke” after Gunn described Superman as “an immigrant.” This led to some controversy, including a post from the White House featuring an image of Donald Trump as Superman.

“Superman” differs significantly from previous portrayals of the character, especially those by Zack Snyder. The film skips the Kansas origin story and instead focuses on Superman (David Corenswet) after his first defeat. Rachel Brosnahan plays Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult portrays Lex Luthor. Despite not matching the $166 million launch of Snyder’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” in 2016, it outperformed Snyder’s “Man of Steel” in terms of opening weekend revenue, excluding inflation.

Critics welcomed Gunn’s version of “Superman,” with an 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes—the best for the franchise since the original Christopher Reeve films. Audiences also gave it an “A-” CinemaScore, indicating positive reception.

The film faced competition from other blockbusters, including “Jurassic World Rebirth,” which dropped to second place with $40 million. The seventh “Jurassic” film had a steep decline from its opening weekend, sliding 57%. Meanwhile, Apple Studios’ “F1” continued to perform well, securing third place with $13 million in its third weekend.

Top 10 Movies by Domestic Box Office

As final domestic figures are released, here’s a look at the top 10 movies based on estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters: