James Gunn’s Superman has finally crossed the $600 million mark at the box office after 43 days of release.
While that might sound respectable, the pace and totals show the movie still falls far short of Matt Reeves’ The Batman and Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel.
But at least it’s a win as Gunn’s DCU has beat out all three Marvel movies at this year’s box office.
Superman Box Office Numbers
As of Friday, Superman stands at:
- Domestic (57.3%): $344,500,181
- International (42.7%): $256,400,000
- Worldwide: $600,900,181
It took Gunn’s film 43 days to hit the milestone, compared to Reeves’ The Batman, which reached $600M in just 18 days thanks to a much stronger international showing.
The Batman Box Office
The Batman ended with:
- Domestic (47.8%): $369,345,583
- International (52.2%): $402,900,000
- Worldwide: $772,245,583
That’s a massive $170M more or so than Gunn’s Superman is likely to earn, showing just how much Reeves’ version connected with international audiences.
Did Early Digital Hurt Superman?
Superman grossed only $955,000 on Friday, compared to The Batman which earned $1,301,112 on its 43rd day. Some suggest the early 35-day digital release cut into ticket sales, but worth noting is that after 43 days The Batman only added another $7M to its total, so the impact may not be as significant as it first appears.
Man of Steel Comparison
Snyder’s Man of Steel still outpaced Gunn’s Superman on the worldwide stage, and that’s without inflation adjustments:
- Domestic (43.4%): $291,045,518
- International (56.6%): $379,100,000
- Worldwide: $670,145,518
Foreign audiences clearly favored Snyder’s take, while Gunn’s version has struggled to find traction outside the U.S., which is something Gunn will need to address going forward.
Where Does Superman Go From Here?
If Superman can squeeze out another $7M or so, it could finish with at least $608M worldwide, but with international markets drying up, that seems optimistic.
The real story is how much ground Gunn’s movie has lost compared to both The Batman and Man of Steel. That gap leaves big questions for the future of the DCU and whether fans will turn up for Supergirl or Jason Momoa’s Lobo.
Gunn is currently developing the next movie with David Corenswet that he said is not Superman 2 but a part of his greater Superman Saga consisting of four movies.
Peacemaker Season 2 also premiered on Thursday. Read my review here.
