On Thursday night, audiences flocked to theaters, not for a bird or a plane, but for Warner Bros.’ latest cinematic venture, “Superman.”
The film represents the dawn of a fresh chapter in the DC universe, helmed by James Gunn and Peter Safran, and it earned an impressive $22.5 million from preview screenings.
This figure marks the third most successful Thursday debut for a superhero movie under the DC label, trailing only behind “The Dark Knight Rises,” which amassed $30.6 million in 2012, and “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” which brought in $27.7 million during its first Thursday in 2016, as reported by Comscore.
Moreover, it sets a record for preview earnings for any Superman film, outpacing “Superman: Man of Steel,” which garnered just $9 million in its Thursday night previews back in 2013.
Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst at Comscore, remarked, “‘With great power comes great responsibility’ may be Spider-Man’s mantra, but Peter Safran and James Gunn face a similar weightiness. The stakes are incredibly high for the new ‘Superman’ movie as it seeks to deliver box office results typical of the superhero genre during what promises to be a scrutinized summer movie weekend.”
Expectation surrounds “Superman,” with projections estimating a three-day opening weekend revenue between $130 million and $140 million. For context, “Man of Steel” opened with $116 million over a decade ago.
This estimated range is comparable to the 2022 release of “The Batman,” which debuted with $134 million. Historically, only three DC films have outperformed in their opening weekends—”Batman v. Superman” at $166 million, “The Dark Knight Rises” with $160 million, and “The Dark Knight,” which earned $158.4 million.
Shawn Robbins, director of analytics at Fandango and founder of Box Office Theory, noted, “Premium screens will surely attract audiences to James Gunn’s anticipated superhero spectacle. If families come out to introduce a new generation to Superman, we can expect strong box office performance throughout the summer.”
This promising start could signal a bright future for the new direction of DC under Gunn and Safran.
The duo assumed leadership of Warner Bros. Discovery’s DC Comics film and television division in late 2022, and since then, they have crafted a decade-long strategy aimed at revitalizing its franchises across both mediums, including new interpretations of iconic characters like Superman and Batman.
Both Gunn and Safran bring considerable experience in the superhero genre, having been instrumental in bringing well-known characters from Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Universe to screens of all sizes, with titles such as “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “The Suicide Squad,” and “Peacemaker” among their credits.
While several television projects from WBD’s streaming service HBO Max have already surfaced, “Superman” marks the inaugural theatrical release produced under the guidance of Gunn and Safran.
The film appears to have garnered positive reception from critics, currently holding an 83% “Fresh” rating from over 300 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.
Robbins further stated, “This marks the beginning of a new era for DC characters, heralding a return to thematically hopeful narratives. Superman is an ideal figure to lead this reboot, despite the challenges every iteration of the character has faced in balancing fan expectations with the need to attract broader audiences. This film is no exception, yet it signifies a tonal shift away from the darker themes that have pervaded DC films over the past decade.”
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and Finance Newso. NBCUniversal owns Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes.
