LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A new “Superman” movie from Warner Bros hauled in an estimated $122 million to lead weekend box office charts in the United States and Canada, a strong domestic debut that kicked off a new era for DC comic book heroes on the big screen.
The movie that introduces David Corenswet as the Man of Steel added $95 million in international markets for global ticket sales expected to reach $217 million through Sunday, Warner Bros said.
“Superman” is a reboot of the movie franchise based on the hero who debuted in comic books in 1938. The film’s performance is critical to the future of Warner Bros and its DC Studios division.
Despite a stable of iconic characters including Batman and Wonder Woman, DC has not been able to match the box office power of Walt Disney’s Marvel superhero films.
The new “Superman” was written and directed by James Gunn, the filmmaker known for three offbeat “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies for Marvel. Gunn was tapped as co-CEO of DC Studios in 2022, alongside producer Peter Safran, and billed as the hero who could bring consistent success to its film and TV projects.
“Superman” is meant to set the stage for coming DC films including a “Supergirl” movie next summer and future Batman and Wonder Woman films.
“The DC vision is clear, the momentum is real, and I couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead,” Warner Bros Discovery Chief Executive David Zaslav said in a statement.
“Superman” is one of only three films to debut with more than $100 million in domestic ticket sales in 2025 as moviegoing lingers below pre-pandemic levels.
“The domestic number is great. You can’t beat a top three opening of the year,” Jeff Bock, senior box office analyst at Exhibitor Relations Co, said of the “Superman” results.
He called the international ticket sales “troubling” for a big-budget action movie. The film cost $225 million to make, according to a source with knowledge of the budget.
Jeff Goldstein, president of global distribution at Warner Bros., said the studio was thrilled with the domestic response and that the movie about an American icon performed as expected overseas.
“We always knew that this would be bigger in the U.S. than international,” Goldstein said. “Superman has always been very American-centric.”
Gunn’s take on the character earned positive reviews from critics. Eighty-two percent of reviews collected on the Rotten Tomatoes website gave the film a thumbs up.
Corenswet stars opposite “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” actor Rachel Brosnahan as journalist Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as villain Lex Luthor.
After box office misfires last year including “Furiosa” and “Joker: Folie à Deux,” Warner Bros has notched six No. 1 openings in 2025. The studio boasts this year’s highest domestic opening with “A Minecraft Movie,” which pulled in $162.8 million over its first three days in April.
The studio also has delivered hits with “Sinners,” “Final Destination Bloodlines” and “F1.”
Some conservative commentators objected to “Superman” when Gunn said the movie about a refugee from another planet was an immigrant story. U.S. President Donald Trump posted a meme that showed his face in place of Corenswet’s on a Superman poster.
The director and stars said the film was a tale about kindness and no political message was intended.
“It’s just a movie guys,” actor Nathan Fillion, who plays Green Lantern, told Variety at the film’s Los Angeles premiere.
Year-to-date ticket sales for all movies in the U.S. and Canada hovered 15% above 2024 but 24% below the pre-COVID times of 2019.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
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