James Gunn’s Superman On Track For A Heroic Box Office Weekend

Things are already looking up for Warner Bros. and DC Studios as Superman is kicking off the new DC Universe in style. Perhaps “in style” isn’t the best way to describe the adventures of Clark Kent, but the Man of Steel sure is bringing in a whole lot of money.

The DC Universe (DCU) technically began last year when Creature Commandos began airing on the newly re-renamed HBO Max in December, but there is no doubt that Superman is serving as the true kick-off point for the fledgling multimedia franchise/shared universe. With projects like Supergirl, Lanterns, and Clayface quickly coming down the pike, everyone has been wondering how Superman would be received by critics and audiences alike. After all, Warner Bros. has been in this situation before about a decade ago. 2013’s Man of Steel was the first entry of the DCEU, but 2016’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice was the film that introduced multiple heroes and set the stage for the Justice League at large. Unfortunately, Dawn of Justice bombed with critics and failed to make the amount of money WB was hoping for, meaning the DCEU was on shaky ground almost from the very beginning. Not wanting a repeat of past events, DC and WB had to be wary about Superman’s production and eventual release.

Deadline is reporting that Superman is currently looking at bringing in around $115-121 million at the domestic box office, blowing past Marvel’s 2025 offerings thus far. Neither Thunderbolts* nor Captain America: Brave New World managed to break $90 million during their opening weekends, let alone breaking into the triple digits. Assuming audiences keep showing up for the rest of the weekend, Superman will be the first DC film to gross over $100 million at the domestic box office since 2017’s Wonder Woman. Not too shabby for the first entry in an entirely new franchise.

Box Office Numbers Are Looking Good For James Gunn’s Superman

Time Will Tell How High It Can Soar

While it is unclear if audiences will continue to show up for more DCU films following Superman’s success, the newest outing for the Man of Steel does a lot to set the stage for the franchise’s future. For instance, the film directly ties in to Lanterns, Supergirl, Creature Commandos, and Peacemaker. It introduces the so-called “Justice Gang,” featuring Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and Mister Terrific. The film shows the still-in-construction Hall of Justice. Near the end of the movie, an exit sign shows that Gotham City isn’t too far from Metropolis. All of this is to say that the foundation for the future of the DCU has been set.

The DCU’s first true test of viability will come when Supergirl and Clayface hit theaters next year. Superman is one of the most popular superheroes on the planet, up there with the likes of Batman and Spider-Man. Positive reviews all but ensured that Superman would put butts in seats this weekend. People have been looking forward to this movie and its more hopeful take on the Man of Steel for a while now. Will audiences actually show up for movies based on Kal-El’s cousin and one of Batman’s lesser-known villains? Who knows?

None of that matters at the moment as Superman rakes in the big bucks and DC Studios takes a victory lap.

Source: Deadline