Though the DC Universe officially kicked off last winter with the animated series Creature Commandos, the franchise’s formal introduction to audiences comes in the form of this summer’s Superman. As the first feature film in a new shared cinematic universe, there’s a lot riding on director James Gunn’s reboot. It goes without saying that Warner Bros. and DC Studios are hoping Superman is well-received, especially after the now-defunct DC Extended Universe proved to be extremely polarizing. At long last, the first wave of Superman reviews are in, and the film’s Rotten Tomatoes score stands at 86% after 102 reviews have been submitted on the aggregator. It is considered Certified Fresh.
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The score is obviously an excellent start for the reboot. It’s in the same ballpark as some of the most acclaimed Superman titles of the past, such as Superman II (88%) and the original 1978 Superman (86%). Gunn’s Superman score is also in line with his previous comic book adaptations. The three Guardians of the Galaxy moves ranged between 92% and 82%, while The Suicide Squad has a 90% mark.
A critics consensus hasn’t been published on Rotten Tomatoes yet, but a glance over the Superman reviews indicate people have responded very positively to Gunn’s approach, praising him for telling a Superman story that revolves around heart, humor, and optimism. The performances of the cast, including David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, were also cited as a highlight.
Superman is currently on track to be one of the biggest box office hits of the year. Early projections (which haven’t changed even in the wake of Jurassic World Rebirth‘s massive opening over Fourth of July weekend) indicate Superman will earn somewhere between $125-145 million domestically in its opening weekend. That figure would be higher than Man of Steel‘s debut.
If anything, the Superman box office estimates should only improve now that the reviews are out. Word of mouth can influence commercial performance, as some people like to see how a film is received before making the trip to the theater. Superman was shaping up to be a significant draw in the weeks before its Rotten Tomatoes score was unveiled, and people should be even more excited to see it on the big screen now. This is precisely what the DCU needed as it looks to make a strong first impression on audiences. The DCEU got off to a rocky start at the outset with Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice earning polarizing reviews; Superman is getting the DCU off on the right foot, which will ideally build enthusiasm for what’s in store.
It is important to keep in mind that the Superman Rotten Tomatoes score will likely fluctuate over the next few days as more reviews come in. The ones that have been counted so far are but a fraction of the eventual total. As a comparison, Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 saw 407 reviews submitted, and The Batman has a whopping 524. So there should be hundreds of other Superman reviews on the way. However, the fact that it’s already Certified Fresh essentially solidifies its standing as a critically acclaimed movie. Often times, the initial wave of reviews are indicative of the overall consensus, and most are in favor of Superman.
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