More financial details are coming to light regarding James Gunn’s Superman, and things aren’t looking great from a profit standpoint, confirming what my Comic-Con insiders said back in July.
While the studio originally claimed the film had a $225 million production budget, it’s since been reported via Variety that an additional $125 million was spent on marketing. That puts the total budget at $350 million—right in line with what we were previously told by an insider.
The Math Isn’t in Superman’s Favor
Forbes recently broke down the film’s theatrical revenue and explained how the split with theater chains works. The site notes:
“Given that films generally split their ticket sales 50-50 with theater owners, this means that Superman’s theatrical net equates to nearly $308 million.”
And that’s before even factoring in residuals, backend points, and other post-release costs:
“Even going with the $308 million before taking the other expenses into account, Superman’s net falls below the $350 million Warner Bros. spent on the production of the film and marketing.”
The Break-Even Bar Was Too High
As mentioned in our previous report, a $350 million budget means Superman would’ve needed to hit at least $875 million globally just to break even, based on the industry standard of a 2.5x multiplier.
With theatrical earnings falling short of that mark—and questionable reception surrounding scenes like the now-infamous “squirrel moment” and the scrapped Lois argument—it’s clear that Superman may already be one of the biggest financial risks in Gunn’s new DCU.
Worth a mention is that our insiders also said similar about Marvel’s Fantastic Four, which bombed worse than Superman.
What’s next for James Gunn’s DCU?
James Gunn isn’t slowing down after Superman. In fact, the next few years are already packed with DCU content, though not without controversy.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
Supergirl is next on deck, set to release June 26, 2026. The film stars Milly Alcock as Supergirl and will include Jason Momoa as Lobo in an expanded role, based on buzz from our insiders at Comic-Con. The film is based on the Woman of Tomorrow comic by Tom King, who is also consulting on the DCU.
Clayface Movie
The Clayface movie is also moving forward and recently locked in a release date of September 11, 2026. Tom Rhys Harries is set to star as the iconic shape-shifting villain, Matt Hagen, making this the first horror-leaning film in Gunn’s DCU lineup.
Man of Tomorrow
Gunn is already writing and directing the sequel to Superman, titled Man of Tomorrow. The movie will again star David Corenswet as Superman, alongside Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The film will be released July 9, 2027, and is expected to team Superman with Lex, possibly against Brainiac.
Peacemaker Season 2 and a New Series
Peacemaker Season 2 wraps up this Thursday, and Gunn recently hinted that another series featuring some of the show’s characters is already in development. What that series is hasn’t been revealed yet, but fans should expect more announcements soon.
Lanterns
The Lanterns series is expected to premiere on HBO and stream on Max in early 2026. The show recently wrapped filming and will consist of eight episodes.
Starring Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, the series also features Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro, Kelly Macdonald as Sheriff Kerry, and Nathan Fillion reprising his DCU role as Guy Gardner.
While the story begins grounded with the Lanterns investigating a murder in rural America, our insiders have said it will go full sci-fi as the series progresses. Internally, the tone has been described as more mature, with rumors suggesting it could lean R-rated, especially given comments tied to strong language and gritty realism.
Political Divide and Corporate Uncertainty
Despite the packed slate, Gunn’s DCU continues to be divisive. Fans have criticized the tone and political messaging in Creature Commandos, Peacemaker and Superman, accusing Gunn of pushing his own agenda.
Meanwhile, things aren’t exactly stable behind the scenes either. Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns DC, is rumored to be on the market. Potential buyers include Netflix and Paramount/Skydance, which could shake up everything—again.
