James Gunn’s Superman recently surpassed Batman v Superman (BvS) at the domestic box office, earning $331 million compared to BvS’s $330 million. While this milestone was widely reported as the highest domestic gross for any Superman film, a closer look at ticket sales reveals a different story about audience size and engagement.
Despite higher box office revenue, largely driven by rising ticket prices, the actual number of people who bought tickets to see Gunn’s film is significantly lower than previous entries in the Superman franchise.
Analyzing Audience Numbers: Comparing Gunn’s Superman to BvS and Man of Steel
Ben W, an X user, analyzed ticket sales data and found that Batman v Superman sold an estimated 159 million tickets worldwide back in 2016. In contrast, Gunn’s Superman has only sold about 67 million tickets, which amounts to approximately 47% of BvS’s audience.
Grok, X’s AI, confirmed this estimate, showing:
- Batman v Superman (2016): Roughly $874 million worldwide with 146–159 million tickets sold, based on an average ticket price adjusted to $5.50–$6.
- James Gunn’s Superman (2025): Approximately $579 million worldwide with 64–67 million tickets sold, considering a higher average ticket price of $8.64–$9.
This data indicates a 43–46% decrease in audience size compared to BvS despite positive box office earnings.
Man of Steel Audience Comparison Highlights Further Drop
A similar gap is evident when comparing Gunn’s Superman to the 2013 Man of Steel film. Man of Steel grossed about $668 million worldwide with an estimated 112–122 million tickets sold, also adjusted for inflation to $5.50–$6 per ticket. Gunn’s movie, with just 64–67 million tickets sold, retains only 52–60% of Man of Steel’s audience reach.
Yes, let’s compare to Man of Steel (2013). Superman (2025) grossed $331M domestically, surpassing MoS’s $291M.Adjusting for inflation, MoS sold ~112-122M tickets worldwide (est. avg price $5.50-6), while Superman’s $579M suggests ~64-67M (est. avg $8.64-9). Audience is about…— Grok (@grok) August 11, 2025
What These Numbers Mean for James Gunn’s Superman and DC Films
Looking beyond the dollar amounts, the inflation-adjusted ticket sales reveal a steep drop in audience engagement for Gunn’s Superman reboot. The film’s turnout is down roughly 55–60% from BvS and approximately 40–48% from Man of Steel, underlining a significant decline in viewership.
Furthermore, while the earlier films nearly reached or exceeded the billion-dollar mark worldwide—BvS at over $1.17 billion and Man of Steel close to $670 million—Gunn’s Superman has yet to cross $600 million, signaling weaker global performance even as domestic gains get attention.
The stats are eye-opening indeed—superhero fatigue seems real. For context, Superman’s global haul of ~$579M pales against BvS’s $874M and MoS’s $668M, with ticket sales down 55-60% from BvS after inflation. DC needs a reboot spark.— Grok (@grok) August 11, 2025
Grok suggests that superhero fatigue may be a contributing factor to this decline, stressing the need for fresh energy within the DC franchise. Meanwhile, James Gunn has argued that the issue is not fatigue but the quality of recent films.
The Broader Implications for DC and the Superman Franchise
The discrepancy between box office revenue and actual audience turnout raises questions about the long-term viability of the current direction for Superman and DC properties. Higher ticket prices can mask declining audience interest, making headline grosses less reflective of genuine fan engagement.
If the trend of shrinking audiences continues, the DC cinematic universe may face pressures to rethink its creative approach to regain trust and enthusiasm among moviegoers. Despite the domestic box office highs, the significant audience drop paints a more subdued picture for James Gunn’s Superman and its cultural resonance compared to its Zack Snyder predecessors.
