‘Superman’ Set to Soar: James Gunn’s Reboot Aims for Biggest Global Opening in Character’s History

James Gunn’s Superman is finally flying into theaters, and it’s not just another superhero flick. This is the beginning of a whole new universe for DC, now called the DCU, and it all starts here. Gunn didn’t just direct the movie; he also wrote and produced it. This is his version of Superman, and it’s going to shape what comes next for the franchise.

Instead of the darker, more serious Superman we’ve seen before in movies by Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan, this one feels lighter and more hopeful, more in tune with the original comic book character. It’s a big shift, and a lot of fans have been waiting for something like this.

The premiere in Hollywood happened earlier this week, and so far, things are going well. Superman currently has an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is officially certified fresh. That’s way better than Snyder’s Man of Steel, which only got 57%, and Batman v. Superman, which dropped to 23%. It’s even doing better than Superman Returns from 2006, which had 72%.

Deadline reports that box office predictions look strong. The movie is expected to earn at least $200 million globally in its first weekend. That’s across 60,000 screens, split evenly between the U.S. and international markets. In North America alone, it’s projected to make between $115 million and $130 million. So far, presales are around $20 million, which is ahead of what Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 had at this point. It’s just a bit behind Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

The movie started rolling out internationally on Wednesday with premieres in France, Italy, and Korea. Then on Thursday, it hit screens in places like Germany, Australia, Brazil, and Mexico. By Friday, the UK, Spain, China, and Japan will join in. In total, Superman is opening in 78 countries. Some of the strongest markets are expected to be the UK, Brazil, Mexico, France, Germany, and Australia. China had strong advance sales for Thursday and Friday, although interest seems to slow down a bit over the weekend.

Deadline says the biggest interest in the movie is from men under and over 25. In terms of box office buzz, it’s doing better than Disney’s upcoming Lilo & Stitch and ahead of Minecraft: The Movie. It’s also close to how The Batman was tracking back in 2022. The movie is also taking over premium formats like Dolby and ScreenX, which is pushing out other releases like Jurassic World: Rebirth for the weekend.

Superman has always been a big franchise for Warner Bros. The first movie, starring Christopher Reeve back in 1978, helped launch the entire superhero movie genre. That film made over $300 million worldwide. The sequel was also a hit, but things started to go downhill with Superman III and Superman IV, which didn’t do well with fans or critics.

In 2006, director Bryan Singer tried to bring the character back with Superman Returns, starring Brandon Routh. It looked and felt like a tribute to the old movies, but it didn’t quite take off, and even though it made nearly $400 million worldwide, the huge budget made it a letdown financially.

Then came Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel in 2013. It gave the character a more serious tone and introduced Henry Cavill as Superman. That movie opened with $116 million and ended up making $670 million worldwide. It was successful, but the follow-ups, especially Batman v. Superman and Justice League, left fans divided. Batman v. Superman still has the biggest domestic opening for any Superman movie at $166 million, but reviews were rough, and people didn’t love the darker tone.

Now, James Gunn is trying to take Superman in a new direction. And so far, it seems to be working. The reviews are good, early numbers are strong, and there’s real excitement among fans. If this movie keeps the momentum going, it could be the start of something big for the new DC Universe.

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