Superman Soars To $122 Million Opening Weekend At The Box Office

Earth's sun is shining brightly this summer, and while it might be melting the brains of us ordinary humans, it seems to be giving our planet's resident Kryptonian a power boost. "Superman" debuted in theaters this week, launching the hopes and dreams of the freshly rebooted DC Universe with it, and it's off to a strong start at the box office.

Written and directed by James Gunn, and introducing David Corenswet in the titular role, "Superman" grossed $56.5 million from its opening day and Thursday previews (per The Wrap), putting it on track for an estimated $122 million opening weekend. The film has a reported production budget of $225 million, placing its break-even point somewhere around the $500 million mark.

"Superman" also received an A- CinemaScore based on opening day audience polling, which is the best score for a DC movie since 2022's "The Batman" (which received an A- as well). On top of that, it's playing well with critics (read /Film's review here!) and currently has a "Certified Fresh" score of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes.

This is the third time the "Superman" movie franchise has been rebooted this century, which means we have some handy points for comparison. 2006's "Superman Returns" was presented as a direct sequel to Richard Donner's 1980 film "Superman II," but it was still effectively a reboot, introducing Brandon Routh as the new Clark Kent. That film grossed $52.5 million in its opening weekend ($83.7 million, adjusted for inflation) and made $391 million worldwide, but was still regarded as a financial disappointment due to its massive budget. It received a B+ CinemaScore from audiences.

Then there's 2013's "Man of Steel," which opened on par with Gunn's "Superman" — but only before adjusting for inflation. It grossed $116.6 million in its opening weekend, equivalent to a $160.5 million debut today, and received an A- CinemaScore. Its global box office total of $670.1 million ($924.55 million, adjusted for inflation) was successful enough to make the movie a launching pad for the DC Extended Universe, and star Henry Cavill went on to reprise the Superman role in two more movies (plus a cameo in "Black Adam"). 

The DCEU may have proved turbulent enough to warrant this latest reset, but "Man of Steel" can't be faulted as a strong starting point for the franchise. If "Superman" plays out similarly at the box office in the coming weeks, and if it succeeds at drawing overseas audiences as well, the DC Universe will be off to a solid start.