‘Superman’ smashes box-office records with $122 million opening

Update July 14, 2025:  It was a blockbuster debut for James Gunn's DC universe, as Superman soared to first place with $122 million at the domestic box office. The superhero film, starring David Corenswet, marked the highest opening ever for a solo Superman movie, surpassing 2013's Man of Steel, which debuted with $116 million.

Superman added $95 million from international markets, bringing its worldwide weekend total to a massive $217 million. “I’m incredibly grateful for your enthusiasm and kind words over the past few days," Gunn wrote in a post on Threads over the weekend, responding to the film's box office success. "We’ve had a lot of ‘Super’ in Superman over the years, and I’m happy to have made a movie that focuses on the ‘man’ part of the equation — a kind person always looking out for those in need. That that resonates so powerfully with so many people across the world is in itself a hopeful testament to the kindness and quality of human beings. Thank you.”

Elsewhere, the box office played out as projected, with Jurassic World Rebirth finishing in second place with $40 million, bringing its domestic total to $232 million and its global haul to $529 million. Rounding out the top five were F1: The Movie with $13 million, How to Train Your Dragon with $7.8 million, and Elio with $3.9 million.

Original story published July 11, 2025: Up, up, and away! Superman is flying into theaters this weekend, ready to smash box-office records and propel the DC Universe into a bold new era.

James Gunn's highly anticipated Superman is on track to crush the competition over the July 11-13 weekend. Warner Bros.' newest superhero epic has been the talk of the summer, generating unstoppable buzz since its record-breaking trailer debuted months ago. Early reviews have only added fuel to the hype, with the film sitting at a solid 82 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and earning praise for its heartfelt storytelling and optimistic tone.

Opening weekend projections have the film soaring to a domestic debut of $115 million to $135 million, which would not only surpass Zack Snyder's Man of Steel ($116 million in 2013) but also secure the biggest launch for a solo Superman movie to date (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice opened with $166 million in 2016). With sold-out premium-format screenings and Gunn's creative vision breathing new life into the iconic hero, Superman is poised to dominate the box office and one again prove to be more powerful than a locomotive.

Fueling the faster-than-a-speeding-bullet launch is a combination of Gunn's heartfelt take on the character, a massive marketing blitz, and a buzzworthy cast led by David Corenswet as Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. In this new chapter, Superman must reconcile his alien Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. While he tries to embod truth, justice and the human way, the Man of Steel soon finds himself facing a skeptical world. The action-adventure movie is rated PG-13 and has a running time of two hours, nine minutes.

This marks Gunn’s first major outing in the DC Universe since he and Peter Safran assumed control of Warner Bros.' superhero label in 2022. Looking ahead, DC Studios already has a packed slate in the works, including the highly anticipated HBO series Lanterns, and Craig Gillespie's big-screen Supergirl, both slated for release in 2026.

SEE 'Superman': Instant Oscar odds for the James Gunn reboot

In second place, Jurassic World Rebirth is holding onto its audience in its second weekend but will undoubtedly see its numbers trimmed due to Superman’s powerful debut. The latest entry in the dino-franchise opened to $92 million over the July 4th weekend and is projected to add another $40 million this weekend, pushing its domestic total past $200 million. While franchise fatigue and middling reviews (53 percent on Rotten Tomatoes) seem to be limiting its potential, the enduring appeal of dinosaurs ensures that Jurassic World Rebirth remains a strong second choice for families and action enthusiasts when Superman tickets inevitably sell out.

Meanwhile, F1: The Movie continues to cruise ahead as a sleeper hit in its third weekend. The Formula One racing drama, starring Brad Pitt, has been a box-office success, particularly with older audiences seeking alternatives to superhero and franchise fare. Having already crossed $112 million domestically and $300 million worldwide, F1 is projected to bring in an additional $13 million this weekend. While it will face stiff competition for premium screen formats dominated by Superman, its strong word of mouth and counter-programming appeal have helped it maintain momentum as one of summer's blockbuster hits.

Rounding out the top five are Universal's How to Train Your Dragon and Disney/Pixar's Elio, with projected earnings of $6.5 million and $4 million, respectively.

Gold Derby readers predict that Superman will win the July 11-13 weekend with more than $125 million domestically. Jurassic World Rebirth is the runner-up selection of our oddsmakers. Here are Gold Derby's box-office predictions for the top five:

1. Superman
2. Jurassic World Rebirth
3. F1: The Movie
4. How to Train Your Dragon
5. Elio

Do you agree or disagree with those rankings? Make your predictions right now — it's fun and easy! Join the box-office discussion in our forums.