James Gunn’s Response to Superman’s Box Office Reveals the Secret to Its Success

Following an incredibly successful debut at the box office, Superman writer and director James Gunn took to his social media to share his gratitude. The film, which marks the first theatrical release in the new DC Universe, sees David Corenswet suit up as the Man of Steel for the very first time. The movie opened to $125 million domestically, up $3 million from previous estimates, and earned a worldwide opening of $220 million. For Gunn, the success of Superman boils down to one thing: avoiding what previous iterations did and instead choosing to showcase Superman’s kindness on the big screen.

“I’m incredibly grateful for your enthusiasm and kind words over the past few days,” James Gunn said in his statement on Threads. “We’ve had a lot of ‘Super’ in Superman over the years, and I’m happy to have made a movie that focuses on the ‘man’ part of the equation – a kind person always looking out for those in need. That that resonates so powerfully with so many people across the world is in itself a hopeful testament to the kindness and quality of human beings. Thank you.”

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James Gunn Explains the New DCU Canon – And How It References the Old DCEU

One of the biggest complaints both critics and fans had with Henry Cavill’s Superman was that his version of the character was too “dark.” This became the dominant topic of debate following the release of Man of Steel, which saw Cavill’s Superman snap Zod’s neck. Some argued that this wasn’t something Superman would do, even though Clark showcased regret after being forced to do so. Missing was the kindness fans had come to expect from Superman, which is why it was such an important focal point for audiences with the latest Superman movie. Many were excited to see “kindness” back in a Superman movie.

Superman Stands Tall at the Box Office

Superman is expected to dominate the box office again in its second outing, with box office experts suggesting the movie could take in another $62.5 million in its second weekend. The film has little to no box office competition this upcoming week, with only three major releases to note: Sony’s I Know What You Did Last Summer reboot, a new Smurfs movie, and the Pedro Pascal movie Eddington.

It’ll be in the film’s third weekend that Superman will likely fall to second place. That’s when Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four: First Steps is expected to take the top spot away from the DC Studios movie with a projected $125 million opening of its own.

Despite Superman‘s success, it’s unclear if the movie will receive a direct sequel, as Gunn has teased that it might not be something they are interested in. With Superman finally in theaters, Gunn and his DC Studios co-head, Peter Safran, can look ahead to the future of the DC Universe. Next up for the studio is Supergirl, a film Gunn has been championing from the very beginning, followed by a live-action Clayface movie. The studio’s next small-screen title will be the Lanterns series, which is currently in production.

Written and directed by Gunn, Superman stars Corenswet as the title hero, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, and Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen. The movie is now playing exclusively in theaters.