James Gunn’s Superman movie struggled to gain traction on HBO Max, according to Nielsen’s latest streaming data, revealing a disappointing start for the James Gunn Superman flop. Released recently, the film’s viewing minutes fell short compared to other major superhero titles, indicating waning audience enthusiasm for this DC project.
Nielsen Streaming Performance Reveals Underwhelming Results
Over its first three days on HBO Max, Superman accumulated 513 million minutes of viewing, placing it fourth on the platform’s Movies chart but failing to enter Nielsen’s overall Top 10 for streaming content. This figure highlights the film’s inability to capture a broader audience despite the anticipation surrounding James Gunn’s reboot of the Man of Steel.
Streaming Numbers Lag Behind Recent Marvel Releases
In direct comparison to Marvel’s recent titles, Superman’s performance appears even weaker. Captain America: Brave New World garnered 750 million minutes over four days, while Thunderbolts attracted 702 million minutes in five days. Both Marvel movies achieved placement in Nielsen’s overall Top 10, outpacing Gunn’s Superman.
When averaging daily viewing, Superman’s 171 million minutes fall short of Captain America: Brave New World’s 187 million minutes per day. Since Superman debuted on a Friday, its initial weekend surge was likely followed by a sharp decline during the weekdays, suggesting that its average daily viewership probably decreased further beyond the initial three-day period and drew closer to Thunderbolts’ figures.
Superman’s Performance Trails Behind Black Adam’s Streaming Debut
A striking element of this underperformance is how Superman registered lower streaming numbers than Black Adam, a film previously criticized as a flop at the time Gunn assumed leadership at DC Studios. Nielsen records show Black Adam launched with 632 million minutes during its first three days on HBO Max, surpassing Superman’s initial reception despite negative publicity surrounding Dwayne Johnson’s portrayal.
During late 2022, when James Gunn was named co-head of DC Studios, Black Adam was underperforming in theaters, but its stronger streaming debut compared to Superman exposes a cooling public interest in Gunn’s efforts. Black Adam’s ongoing success on platforms like Netflix contrasted sharply with the muted enthusiasm for the new Superman reboot.
Recent Trouble for James Gunn’s DC Universe Initiatives
This streaming shortfall contributes to a series of setbacks for Gunn’s DC Universe. The second season of Peacemaker lost nearly 40% of its viewers, and Creature Commandos failed to chart on Nielsen’s streaming lists at all. Following these patterns, Peacemaker was canceled and will not continue into a third season.
Now, Superman has joined this trend by drawing less engagement than Black Adam, a film Gunn’s supporters had previously dismissed. Publicly, Dwayne Johnson touted Black Adam as a financial success, though recent reports suggest Gunn’s Superman fell short at the box office. The figure of $615 million globally, hardly surpassing Black Adam’s international earnings without a release in China, underscores the challenge.
Analysts note that interest in Superman peaked quickly before falling off, an outcome Warner Bros. Discovery had hoped to avoid, especially given the film’s role as a foundational piece in Gunn’s DCU vision. The disappointing box office combined with weak streaming numbers signal a troubling phase for the new era of DC under Gunn.
Future Directions: Focus Shifts Away From Superman
Unlike typical franchise launches, Gunn’s Superman reboot will not have a sequel. Instead, attention has shifted to Man of Tomorrow, a film reportedly centered more on the character Lex, whom Gunn has described as resonating more personally than Superman himself. Industry insiders have also indicated that Gunn will depart from DC following Warner Bros. Discovery’s sale.
Warner Bros. has planned the Minecraft sequel’s release just two weeks after Man of Tomorrow’s projected summer 2027 debut, a scheduling move led by Mike De Luca and the studio’s film division. This strategic timing could impact the new Superman film’s successor’s box office potential, adding to the uncertain future for Gunn’s revamped DC Universe.
