Superman Opens to $122M — DC Finally Has a Win Worth Building On
Superman (2025) just gave DC something it hasn’t had in years: a legitimate win at the box office — and maybe, just maybe, a foundation for the future.
Opening Numbers That Actually Matter
The James Gunn-directed reboot opened to $122 million domestically and $217 million worldwide — the biggest DC launch since The Batman in 2022. And while its global numbers are still trailing behind Marvel’s juggernauts, this isn’t about beating Marvel at the gate. It’s about stabilizing a brand that’s been in freefall.
Word of Mouth: Surprisingly Positive
Critics gave it a respectable 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences handed it an A– CinemaScore — a rare alignment for a modern superhero movie. The film’s tone, emotional core, and performances (especially David Corenswet’s Superman and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Mr. Terrific) are getting most of the praise.
More Than a Movie — A Litmus Test
For Warner Bros. and DC Studios, this isn’t just about ticket sales. It’s a barometer for whether people still care. After a string of high-profile misfires — Shazam 2, Flash, Blue Beetle — the franchise desperately needed a hit that audiences wanted to root for. Superman appears to be exactly that.
Where It Goes from Here
Gunn’s DCU has barely begun, but Superman makes one thing clear: with the right tone and worldbuilding, there’s still hope. If upcoming films like Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow can ride this momentum, DC might finally escape its reboot curse.
Bottom line: Superman doesn’t reinvent the genre — it just remembers why we cared in the first place. And that might be enough.
