What Superman Needs to Make to Be a Box Office Hit Revealed in New DC Studios Report

DC Studios has a clear idea of the box office sales Superman needs to reach in order to be counted as a success, according to one anonymous insider. The movie was produced on a $225 million budget, and sources within Warner Bros Discovery told The Wrap that it will be profitable as long as it makes $500 million or more worldwide. However, to truly be considered a success — and to secure the future of the DC Universe — it needs to make $700 million or more, according to an anonymous talent agent who spoke with the outlet. That would put it past Man of Steel and prove to the studio that fans showed up out of excitement, not just brand recognition.

“The simple brand recognition of Superman will probably take them to or close to $500 million worldwide, but anything above that will be because the audience identifies with the title character,” the agent said. The $700 million benchmark is reportedly a consensus for other industry insiders as well, giving fans a clear number to keep an eye on. If the movie reaches that goal, we can feel confident that studio executives are happy with the DCU’s first big screen outing.

Superman hits theaters on July 11th — the weekend after Jurassic World: Rebirth and two weeks before the MCU’s next movie, The Fantastic Four: First Steps. However, the agent said that they don’t believe competition is the biggest hurdle Superman is facing. “The challenge is almost entirely a question of if Superman resonates with today’s audience,” they said. “Did they successfully update an Eisenhower-era character so the 2025 Gen Z audience can identify with him?”

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Superman is regarded by some as a pop culture relic, and on the big screen at least, it’s hard to argue with them. Up until the DCEU, Superman was still coasting on decades-old nostalgia, and the Henry Cavill’s gritty portrayal of the character clearly wasn’t the kind of change audiences wanted. The DCU’s Superman must find a way to make this hero feel fresh and authentic, which could be an uphill battle for some audiences. However, comics and cartoons have provided plenty of blueprints for this metamorphosis, and there are signs that this movie will take those cues.

Superman will also have plenty of help kicking off the DCU, with a huge cast of other heroes, villains, and fan-favorite side characters in this cast. That includes Supergirl (Milly Alcock), who headlines the DCU’s second movie, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, coming next summer. In the meantime, it all rests of Clark’s red-caped shoulders. Superman hits theaters on July 11th.