Peter Safran Breaks Silence on ‘Supergirl’s’ Box Office Struggles

Supergirl did not have the opening weekend DC Studios was hoping for, but studio boss Peter Safran says the result does not change the company’s bigger plans for the future.

The superhero movie arrived in theaters with lower-than-expected ticket sales, creating concerns about whether DC Studios’ new direction under James Gunn and Peter Safran is working. However, Safran believes the film’s performance should be viewed as only one part of a much larger strategy.

In a statement shared with The New York Times, Safran addressed the disappointing box office numbers and explained that DC Studios is still focused on building a strong future.

“While ‘Supergirl’ didn’t meet our box office expectations, it’s just one component of a broader, long-term strategy at DC Studios that we remain confident in,” Safran said.

The comment shows that DC Studios is not treating Supergirl’s results as a sign that the entire reboot has failed. According to Safran, the company’s goal is not based on the success or failure of a single movie but on creating a connected universe with more consistent quality.

Supergirl opened with an estimated $38 million in the United States and Canada from Thursday through Sunday, below early expectations of around $50 million. The film also earned about $30 million internationally. While the numbers were disappointing for a movie with a reported production budget of $170 million plus marketing costs, Safran believes the bigger DC plan remains on track.

The movie was expected to be an important release for DC Studios after the success of Superman, which helped rebuild audience interest in the brand. The Superman reboot earned strong reviews and made around $619 million worldwide, giving the studio confidence in its new approach.

Supergirl was supposed to continue that momentum by introducing another major character into the new DC universe. However, the response was much weaker, with the movie receiving mixed reactions from critics and audiences.

The New York Times also reported that the film faced online backlash before release, including criticism aimed at actress Milly Alcock’s casting. Warner Bros. executives were reportedly surprised by how strong the negative reactions became.

Despite the problems surrounding Supergirl, Safran’s message is that DC Studios is thinking beyond one release. The studio’s new leadership has repeatedly said it wants to focus on quality stories instead of rushing out multiple projects.

The company is already moving forward with other films and television projects. Upcoming releases such as Man of Tomorrow and Clayface are expected to play a role in expanding the DC universe, while DC television projects have also received positive attention.

The broader performance of DC under Gunn and Safran has been more positive outside of Supergirl. Series like The Penguin and Creature Commandos have performed well, and expectations remain high for future projects.

For Safran, the Supergirl result is a setback, but not a reason to change direction. His statement suggests that DC Studios is willing to accept individual disappointments while continuing to build a larger franchise.

Rather than judging the entire reboot based on one movie, Safran wants audiences to look at the bigger picture. Supergirl may not have reached the heights DC hoped for, but the studio still believes its new approach can succeed over time.

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