James Gunn’s Superman continues to perform well at the box office, as the film is poised to surpass one of Marvel’s releases on the 2025 worldwide charts after just two weeks. According to Deadline, Superman is projected to gross $57 million domestically during its second weekend, which would be a 54% decrease from its opening. That hold would be the strongest among the year’s major comic book adaptations, beating out Captain America: Brave New World (which dropped 68% in its second weekend) and Thunderbolts* (which saw a 56% drop). Heading into the weekend, Deadline estimated that Superman‘s global total could stand around $400 million by Sunday.
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Should Superman cross that milestone this weekend, it will have already earned more than Thunderbolts* did over its entire run. Thunderbolts* grossed $382 million worldwide, ultimately going down as a box office disappointment. It’s also only a matter of time before Superman beats out the lifetime haul of Brave New World, which made $415.1 million.
The first theatrical feature in the new DC Universe franchise, Superman got off to a strong start in its debut. Bolstered by positive reviews praising the performances of the cast and Gunn’s storytelling approach, it earned $125 million domestically over its opening weekend, exceeding expectations. While the international numbers were arguably a bit soft, Superman‘s performance has sparked enthusiasm for what’s next in the DCU, including Gunn’s mysterious Superman follow-up.
While DC Studios is enjoying the success of Superman, Marvel Studios has had a rough 2025 so far at the multiplex. Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* both rank among the lowest-grossing entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date. The MCU is looking to salvage the year when The Fantastic Four: First Steps opens next week. Early box office forecasts indicate First Steps won’t open higher than Superman, but it’s still on track to earn between $100-110 million domestically.
It was great that Superman posted a strong opening weekend, but it was equally as imperative for it to have strong legs at the box office. With Fantastic Four coming out next weekend, this week was a golden opportunity for Superman to boost its numbers running against minimal competition. Fortunately, it held very well, and it’s on its way to turning a profit. Superman‘s time at the top of the box office charts should come to an end next weekend, but it’ll likely continue to be a draw thanks to the positive word of mouth. Audiences have been enjoying it, fueling ticket sales.
Superman has seemingly opened the floodgates for the DCU as people wait to see what happens next. Supergirl and Clayface are set for release next year, but fans are already looking further ahead. In the week since Superman‘s release, there’s been a bevy of reports and rumors about everything from development on a new Wonder Woman movie to when we can expect to see more Justice League members in the DCU. It’ll be interesting to see how galvanized DC Studios is by Superman‘s performance, and if Gunn provides an outline for the future film slate soon. San Diego Comic-Con would be an ideal venue for such announcements, but Superman was successful because Gunn and Co. were patient. Striking that right balance should ensure future DCU projects are box office hits as well.
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Image courtesy of Lucasfilm.
