The hype around James Gunn’s Superman just kicked into a higher gear with the recent trailer that was released, and now early box office tracking is pointing to a potentially massive debut.
According to insider Jeff Sneider, the reboot could soar to a $175 million opening weekend in North America. That’s a hefty figure, and if it holds, it would be a big win for both DC Studios and Warner Bros. Discovery.
On The Hot Mic podcast, Sneider shared:
“I’m hearing Superman is currently tracking big.”
He stopped short of calling it a $200 million opener, though, and noted he’s not convinced the film will crack the $1 billion mark globally. Still, with numbers like that floating around this early, it’s a sign that general interest in Gunn’s reimagining of the Man of Steel is very real.
It was also reproted that the movie could earn between USD 650 million and USD 850 million worldwide. “If it performs on the higher end, it could come close to matching the inflation-adjusted earnings of Man of Steel, which peaked at USD 890 million, and even surpass Justice League and The Batman, which collected USD 661.3 million and USD 772.3 million, respectively.”
I’ve been wondering if this movie would be a big box office success. My fear is, even if it’s a great film, that people won’t see it in theaters. A lot of great films that had the makings of a block buster hit have had disappointing box office runs, Which this being another Superman movie from DC would the general audience have interest in watching it?
But, the momentum has been building ever since the December teaser broke viewership records. That was followed by an extended five-minute sneak peek and a special “Superman Day” featurette, both of which were received with a wave of enthusiasm from fans.
While some have questioned the star power of lead David Corenswet, the general audience seems ready to embrace Gunn’s more hopeful, comic-faithful take on the character.
This version of Superman ditches the brooding, world-weary hero we saw in the DCEU and instead leans into optimism, which is a major tonal shift that could either re-energize the brand or, if it misfires, sink DC’s reboot plans before they really take off.
That’s why the stakes couldn’t be higher. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is already in the pipeline, along with several DCU shows, but if Superman underperforms, it could shake the foundation of Gunn and Peter Safran’s leadership at DC Studios.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has already made his fair share of controversial moves, don’t expect him to hesitate if the numbers fall short.
Still, not all the buzz is glowing. While the overall tone of test screenings has reportedly been strong, Sneider noted he heard at least one very blunt piece of feedback:
“Superman stinks.”
That’s not the kind of quote you want floating around, especially when you’re rebooting one of the most beloved characters in pop culture. But, we’ve got to remember that test screenings always come with outliers. And so far, the balance of reactions remains positive.
With Superman set to open in July, this is just the beginning of the box office conversation. But it’s shaping up to be one of the most closely watched releases of the year.
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