Zack Snyder Reacts To Box Office Showdown Between ‘Superman’ and ‘Man of Steel’

Zack Snyder recently reacted to a post comparing the box office of James Gunn’s 2025 Superman movie to his own Man of Steel from 2013, sparking conversations among fans about which film truly performed better.

Snyder’s like on the post highlights how passionate fans of the original DCEU still are about his take on the Man of Steel.

Gunn’s Superman, starring David Corenswet, launched the new DC Universe and had a strong domestic performance.

According to The Numbers, the movie has earned $615.2 million worldwide so far, with $354 million coming from the U.S. market alone. That makes it the 73rd highest-grossing movie domestically. Internationally, it earned $262 million, $92 million less than its domestic gross. Reports say the movie’s production budget was around $225 million, not counting marketing.

Typically, a movie needs to make two to 2.5 times its production budget to break even. With its total gross, Gunn’s Superman falls within that range, and Variety estimates it will net Warner Bros. Discovery roughly $125 million in theatrical profits. The studio is already moving forward with a sequel titled Man of Tomorrow, scheduled to shoot next year for a July 9, 2027 release.

Fans naturally compare the new Superman to Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel, which started the old DCEU back in 2013. Unadjusted for inflation, Man of Steel earned $670.1 million worldwide, with $291 million from the U.S. and $379.1 million internationally, slightly higher than Gunn’s movie.

But when you adjust for inflation, analysts suggest Man of Steel would have a domestic total of $419.1 million. Adding international figures, the estimated global total could be as high as $868.2 million. Its production budget, adjusted for inflation, would be about $312 million. In 2013, the movie reportedly brought in $42.7 million in profit for Warner Bros.

The comparison shows that while Gunn’s Superman did well and proved the new DC Universe can succeed, Man of Steel still holds strong when inflation is considered. Snyder’s reaction signals that fans continue to debate which Superman launch was the more profitable and impactful.

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