James Gunn’s Superman box office success continued this weekend as the movie retained its position at the top, earning $57.3 million across 4,774 venues. Despite a 54% drop from its opening weekend, the film’s sustained earnings reflected strong audience engagement, reinforcing its leading status.
The movie follows Clark Kent, a journalist in Metropolis, who navigates his dual identity, balancing his Kryptonian origins with his human upbringing. Starring David Corenswet as Superman alongside Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult, the film is a central piece for Warner Bros. and DC Studios’ efforts to expand and revitalize the DC Universe.
Financial Performance and Industry Commentary
After two weekends, Superman has generated $236 million domestically and accumulated a global total of $406 million. Analyst Paul Dergarabedian of Comscore commented on the film’s box office trajectory:
“A 54% second weekend drop is indicative of a marketplace that’s embracing the film” —Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore Analyst
This performance is particularly positive for Warner Bros., demonstrating market receptiveness amid a competitive summer lineup. Its weekday box office strength also contributed to maintaining the lead position.
‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Continues Strong but Trails Behind Superman
Following Superman, the new Jurassic World installment, ‘Jurassic World Rebirth,’ claimed second place with $23 million, experiencing a 42% decrease from the previous weekend. Directed by Gareth Edwards and starring Scarlett Johansson as covert operative Zora Bennett, the film has accumulated $276 million domestically over three weekends.
Internationally, Jurassic World Rebirth has been more successful, grossing over $647 million worldwide, though this remains below the billion-dollar-plus earnings of earlier films in the franchise.
New Releases Struggle to Make an Impact at the Box Office
Among new titles, Sony’s horror reboot ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ opened to a modest $13 million domestically from 3,206 theaters. Featuring original cast members Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr., the film’s worldwide earnings reached $24.6 million with $11.6 million from overseas markets. The production budget was $18 million, allowing lower expectations compared to larger releases.
Paramount’s animated musical ‘Smurfs,’ headlined by Rihanna, debuted in fourth place with $11 million from 3,504 venues. The $58 million production has earned $36 million globally, including $25 million internationally, suggesting that merchandise sales may be more lucrative than box office receipts.
In fifth place, ‘F1,’ starring Brad Pitt and a collaboration between Apple and Warner Bros., pulled in $9.6 million during its fourth weekend, raising its domestic total to $153.6 million and reaching $460.8 million worldwide.
Ari Aster’s Western satire ‘Eddington,’ coming from the director of ‘Hereditary,’ failed to gain traction, landing in seventh place with $4.2 million from 2,111 venues.
Upcoming Box Office Battle as ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Prepares to Launch
The box office landscape is poised for change as Marvel Studios’ ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ readies its release. Early tracking suggests the superhero film will debut with between $100 million and $140 million, threatening Superman’s hold on the market. This upcoming competition highlights the intensifying rivalry between Marvel and the burgeoning DC Universe.
The Fantastic Four cast includes Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, with production by 20th Century Studios and Marvel Studios.
Comprehensive List of Films and Series Featuring Superman
Superman has had a rich presence in film and television, reflected in numerous productions over the decades:
- Adventures of Superman (1952–1958)
- Superman (1978)
- Superman II (1981)
- Superman III (1983)
- Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
- Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993–1997)
- Justice League (2001–2004)
- Smallville (2001–2011)
- Justice League Unlimited (2004–2006)
- Superman Returns (2006)
- All Star Superman (2011)
- Man of Steel (2013)
- Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
- Justice League (2017)
- Superman & Lois (2021–2023)
- Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
- DC League of Super-Pets (2022)
- Peacemaker (2022)
- Black Adam (2022)
- My Adventures with Superman (2023–2024)
- The Flash (2023)
- Creature Commandos (2024)
- Superman (2025)
Implications for Warner Bros. and the DC Universe
James Gunn’s Superman box office results offer encouraging momentum for Warner Bros. and DC Studios as they seek to establish a cohesive, interconnected DC Universe. The film’s solid domestic and international numbers demonstrate audience interest amid a competitive market, though upcoming Marvel releases like “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” will intensify rivalry in the superhero genre.
The continued underperformance of titles like the ‘Smurfs’ musical and horror reboots highlights the challenges faced by studios outside of blockbuster franchises. As the summer progresses, how these films stack up against launching tentpoles will shape both studio strategies and audience trends moving forward.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Does James Gunn believe in God?
A. Gunn grew up in a Catholic household and has shared that prayer is still important to him. However, he has stated he is “in some ways, anti-religion.”
Q. Is James Gunn no longer with Marvel?
A. Gunn collaborated with Marvel Studios on the Guardians of the Galaxy series. He became co-CEO of DC Studios in 2022. Before his co-CEO role, he directed The Suicide Squad (2021) for DC. Gunn briefly left Marvel but returned to direct Guardians of the Galaxy 3.
Q. What is James Gunn’s religion?
A. Krypto the Superdog’s new CGI look in Gunn’s 2025 Superman movie was inspired by Ozu. Gunn grew up in a Catholic home and has shared that prayer remains important to him. However, he has also stated he is “in some ways, anti-religion.”
