The box office found a true hero this weekend. Warner Bros. and DC Studios’ highly anticipated reboot Superman opened with a mighty $125 million domestic haul, delivering the strongest July opening since Twisters last summer and nearly outgrossing all films combined during this same weekend the previous year. It’s a pivotal moment not just for the Man of Steel, but for the entire DC brand.
This is more than a box office debut—it’s a cultural reboot, a studio referendum, and the launchpad for an entirely reimagined DC Universe. Everything is riding on Superman. Not just because it reintroduces the most iconic superhero in American history, but because it sets the tone for James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new vision for DC Studios. This is Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, and it’s the first chapter that had to fly.
The film finds Clark Kent juggling his roles as a Daily Planet journalist and Earth’s protector, while villain Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) unleashes a deepfake hologram suggesting Superman was sent to conquer, not save. With a plotline rooted in modern anxieties about trust, identity, and manipulation, Gunn leans into sincerity, hope, and emotional clarity over brute force and grit. It’s a sharp pivot from the dour tone that defined the last decade of DC films.
Replacing Henry Cavill is David Corenswet, a relative unknown who bears more than a passing resemblance to Christopher Reeve. Rachel Brosnahan joins as Lois Lane, with her trademark wit and emotional range, and critics have praised their chemistry. Rotten Tomatoes currently sits at 83% among critics and a glowing 93% with audiences.
Gunn, who both wrote and directed the film, is making headlines not just for the film’s tone but for his own journey. After being temporarily fired by Marvel Studios in 2018 over resurfaced tweets, Gunn rebounded with DC’s The Suicide Squad, earning critical acclaim if not box office gold. Now fully at the helm of DC Studios, Gunn is delivering his most personal and high-stakes project to date.
With a $225 million production budget, Superman still has a climb ahead to profitability. Industry analysts estimate the film needs to hit $565 million globally to break even. But with strong word of mouth and limited competition until Smurfs and I Know What You Did Last Summer hit next week, the studio is betting this Superman has legs.
Superman is also being measured against its own legacy. The 1978 original, starring Christopher Reeve, would have grossed $1.48 billion worldwide today, when adjusted for inflation. The franchise’s most recent high-water mark was 2016’s Batman v Superman, which opened to $166 million and topped out at $874 million worldwide. While Superman (2025) may not soar that pretty high, it’s already proven to be a much-needed win for DC.
Also holding strong: Jurassic World: Rebirth dropped to second place with $40 million in its second weekend. Its 12-day domestic total now stands at $232.1 million. While it trails previous Jurassic installments, it’s already cleared its profitability mark of $450 million globally.
In third place, Warner Bros. and Apple’s F1: The Movie added $13 million for a 17-day domestic total of $136.2 million. It’s now the highest-grossing racing film of all time, topping Ford v Ferrari, and marks Apple’s biggest theatrical success.
In its fourth weekend, How to Train Your Dragon (2025) continued to show staying power with $7.8 million, bringing its domestic haul to $239.8 million after five weekends.
And in fifth, Pixar’s Elio took in just $3.9 million, continuing its underwhelming run. With only $117.3 million globally and a $150 million budget, it’s tracking to become the lowest-grossing Pixar release ever.
As of mid-July, the 2025 domestic box office is up 114% from the same time last year. With Superman finally giving DC a hit and a renewed sense of direction, it seems the summer box office might just have found its hero.
The Geek is a working screenwriter, director and screenwriting instructor.
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