Superman’s Soaring Start: James Gunn’s Reboot Flies Past $220M Globally
DC’s latest reboot opens with a bang as James Gunn’s Superman rockets past projections, sparking hope for a new era of the franchise.
James Gunn’s Superman (2025) is off to a heroic start, delivering a powerful box office debut that signals renewed momentum for DC Studios. The film, starring David Corenswet as the iconic Clark Kent, grossed approximately $125.02 million domestically, surpassing early projections of $122 million and marking the third-best opening weekend of 2025.
The movie’s international launch added another $95 million, pushing its worldwide total to between $217 and $220.02 million depending on the source. That puts Superman well ahead of earlier DC efforts and makes it the first DC film to cross the $100 million mark on opening weekend since Wonder Woman in 2017.
Directed by James Gunn, the reboot introduces a fresh cast including Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, alongside supporting performances from Nathan Fillion, Sara Sampaio, and Edi Gathegi. With a reported budget of $225 million, Superman is seen as the bold first step in a new interconnected DC universe under Gunn’s leadership.
While the film surpassed the opening weekend of Man of Steel (2013), which brought in $116.6 million domestically, it doesn’t top the inflation-adjusted figure of Zack Snyder’s version. However, in raw numbers, it sets a new benchmark for the character on screen.
Still, when stacked against 2025’s box office juggernaut Jurassic World Rebirth, which pulled in $318 million globally in its first five days, Superman’s debut is impressive but not top-tier. After two weeks, Jurassic had crossed $529 million, showing a wider global reach despite a lower production budget of $180 million.
Early reactions to the film have been largely positive, with fans praising the chemistry between Corenswet and Brosnahan and the tonal reset Gunn brings to the franchise. As summer competition heats up, all eyes are on whether Superman can maintain altitude, and whether this marks the beginning of a true DC comeback.
