Superman | July 11, 2025 | James Gunn writing and directing | David Corenswet is Clark, Rachel Brosnahan is Lois

[excel1]

Just now, XXRkham Asylum said:

Let's assume this hits the current release date and matches the quality/reception of the 3 GOTG films. What kind of OW and DOM total are you expecting? What about INT total? My current thoughts are....

 

$150M OW
$425M DOM

$475M INT 

 

 

I think this is going to be exceptionally hard to predict and is so highly dependent on a number of things. If it is GOTG quality and opens in early July, I think it gets a multiplier above 3. 

 

Trends are so different now, who knows. I think traditional logic would say it will not sell more ticketing in opening than THE BATMAN. But who knows.

[XXR & Friends]

2 minutes ago, excel1 said:

Trends are so different now, who knows. I think traditional logic would say it will not sell more ticketing in opening than THE BATMAN. But who knows.

 

I think Superman as a character has become more popular in the last decade, and remember THE BATMAN wasn't too far removed from Covid restrictions, wasn't during summer, and while it would good it was also dour. 

[ringedmortality]

10 minutes ago, XXRkham Asylum said:

Let's assume this hits the current release date and matches the quality/reception of the 3 GOTG films. What kind of OW and DOM total are you expecting? What about INT total? My current thoughts are....

 

$150M OW
$425M DOM

$475M INT 

 

Na no way it’d hit those major numbers. Sub-100 opening and a finish around The Batman seems more likely. Superman has never had a movie that hit as big as like The Dark Knight.

 

Those would still be pretty good numbers, especially if WB budgets it below 200.

[excel1]

4 minutes ago, XXRkham Asylum said:

 

I think Superman as a character has become more popular in the last decade, and remember THE BATMAN wasn't too far removed from Covid restrictions, wasn't during summer, and while it would good it was also dour. 

 

Ehh....THE BATMAN opened just a few months after NWH and did 50% of the business opening weekend.

 

Don't get me wrong. If the marketing is modern and epic, showing off some popular Gen Z heartthrobs as Super and Lois, gives them some legitimacy from surrounding them with A listers, and the film is a 90% on RT? Yeah it could really break out. 

 

But if the cast and marketing are just by the numbers?

[ZattMurdock]

19 minutes ago, XXRkham Asylum said:

Let's assume this hits the current release date and matches the quality/reception of the 3 GOTG films. What kind of OW and DOM total are you expecting? What about INT total? My current thoughts are....

 

$150M OW
$425M DOM

$475M INT 

 

That seems feasible, maybe at the mid to high end, but feasible. It could go below that as long as it’s well liked as a fresh new take on Superman. Everything Gunn is saying about creating a brand new aesthetic for his Superman sounds very promising.

[XXR & Friends]

12 minutes ago, ringedmortality said:

Superman has never had a movie that hit as big as like The Dark Knight.

 

$150M in 2025 isn't $150M in 2008. It would literally be about half the number of tickets sold for TDK.

[excel1]

Let's say every DC between now and July 2024 is well received. 

Let's say they nail the cast and it generates tons of buzz.

Let's say the marketing epic in scale and quality. 

Let's say the reviews are 90% + RT.

 

Epic, outlandish breakout. $250m opening weekend. 😎

[XXR & Friends]

4 minutes ago, excel1 said:

Let's say every DC between now and July 2024 is well received. 

Let's say they nail the cast and it generates tons of buzz.

Let's say the marketing epic in scale and quality. 

Let's say the reviews are 90% + RT.

 

Epic, outlandish breakout. $250m opening weekend. 😎

 

Aren't the only DC films between now and this; Blue Beetle and Aquaman 2? Then it's an 18 month hiatus until SL. 

 

I don't think casting will generate much buzz because I think it'll be relatively unknown players. Sure they'll have credits and be someone you've seen before, but I doubt they'll be talked about much amongst the general public. 

 

Marketing and quality are gonna be the deciding factors on this one. 

[WittyUsername]

Just now, XXRkham Asylum said:

 

Aren't the only DC films between now and this; Blue Beetle and Aquaman 2? Then it's an 18 month hiatus until SL. 

 

I don't think casting will generate much buzz because I think it'll be relatively unknown players. Sure they'll have credits and be someone you've seen before, but I doubt they'll be talked about much amongst the general public. 

 

Marketing and quality are gonna be the deciding factors on this one. 

I don’t know if it “counts,” but Joker 2 is currently set to come out in October of next year. 

[excel1]

4 minutes ago, XXRkham Asylum said:

 

Aren't the only DC films between now and this; Blue Beetle and Aquaman 2? Then it's an 18 month hiatus until SL. 

 

I don't think casting will generate much buzz because I think it'll be relatively unknown players. Sure they'll have credits and be someone you've seen before, but I doubt they'll be talked about much amongst the general public. 

 

Marketing and quality are gonna be the deciding factors on this one. 

 

Flash looks to be well received. If Blue Beetle and Aquabro 2 are popular as well, that will make a real difference. Then comes the long hiatus, yes. 

 

Cast and Crew can definitely help buzz if it is done well.

• Gunn is a legit big name who is respected by critics. They will be much more open to him than a Zack Snyder type.
• Jacob Elordi as Superman would generate some real buzz among his legion of Gen Z fans and every glimpse of him as Supes on social media would be a huge trend.
• Bradley Cooper as Luthor would bring instant legitimacy to the role.
• Lois is tougher and while the actresses they're looking at indeed look good, none of true 'It' girls. Millie Bobbie Brown is so young. Maybe Meghan Fahy from White Lotus? IDK if Madelyn Cline has it in her. 

 

Need some EPIC trailers ala Man of Steel.

[21C]

3 hours ago, ringedmortality said:

I got a good argument for Hoult. Maybe they go the route that Burton was gonna go when he cast Cage. I can totally see them going for more of that look.

I can't see Gunn going for that at all especially when it seems that his main focus is to make this a very traditional Superman.

[ringedmortality]

3 minutes ago, 21C said:

I can't see Gunn going for that at all especially when it seems that his main focus is to make this a very traditional Superman.

 

That can't be Gunn's focus. He's being inspired by All Star, and it's not like that "traditional" route worked out for Superman Returns. Gunn has more in common with Burton (liking outcasts, being extremely gory) than anything to do with the Donner films.

[excel1]

1 minute ago, ringedmortality said:

 

That can't be Gunn's focus. He's being inspired by All Star, and it's not like that "traditional" route worked out for Superman Returns. Gunn has more in common with Burton (liking outcasts, being extremely gory) than anything to do with the Donner films.

 

Superman Returns had a gloomy, retro look and feel. That costume didn't have a shade of red. It wasn't traditional at all. 

[ZattMurdock]

2 minutes ago, ringedmortality said:

 

That can't be Gunn's focus. He's being inspired by All Star, and it's not like that "traditional" route worked out for Superman Returns. Gunn has more in common with Burton (liking outcasts, being extremely gory) than anything to do with the Donner films.

There is nothing more classical Superman than All-Star Superman. That’s epitome classic Superman when it comes to what everyone loves and know of Superman, which isn’t the same as ‘classic’ Donner’s Superman. And I’m not even entirely sure if that’s his main source either. He seems to be heavily influenced by John Byrne’s / Jerry Ordway’s / Dan Jurgens’ Superman era, with a lot of Mark Waid’s as well. Especially when it comes to what he seems to be interested when it comes to his rogues gallery.

[21C]

8 minutes ago, ringedmortality said:

 

That can't be Gunn's focus. He's being inspired by All Star, and it's not like that "traditional" route worked out for Superman Returns. Gunn has more in common with Burton (liking outcasts, being extremely gory) than anything to do with the Donner films.

All-Star is a mega traditional take on Superman.

[21C]

20 minutes ago, excel1 said:

 

Flash looks to be well received. If Blue Beetle and Aquabro 2 are popular as well, that will make a real difference. Then comes the long hiatus, yes. 

 

Cast and Crew can definitely help buzz if it is done well.

• Gunn is a legit big name who is respected by critics. They will be much more open to him than a Zack Snyder type.
• Jacob Elordi as Superman would generate some real buzz among his legion of Gen Z fans and every glimpse of him as Supes on social media would be a huge trend.
• Bradley Cooper as Luthor would bring instant legitimacy to the role.
• Lois is tougher and while the actresses they're looking at indeed look good, none of true 'It' girls. Millie Bobbie Brown is so young. Maybe Meghan Fahy from White Lotus? IDK if Madelyn Cline has it in her. 

 

Need some EPIC trailers ala Man of Steel.

Thank god you're not a studio exec if your only argument for Elordi is Instagram followers holy hell

[excel1]

6 minutes ago, 21C said:

Thank god you're not a studio exec if your only argument for Elordi is Instagram followers holy hell

 

A prerequisite is the look and acting chops, obviously, both of which he has. Physically and acting range, there is nobody clear ahead of Elordi at all. His massive social media presence gives him a big leg up on the others. 

[ChipDerby]

I want to be realistic and say my OW expectation for this would be $120 mil. (Though Man of Steel inflated would be $150 mil)

 

But the box office landscape can change between now and then.

[ZattMurdock]

1 minute ago, ChipDerby said:

I want to be realistic and say my OW expectation for this would be $120 mil. (Though Man of Steel inflated would be $150 mil)

 

But the box office landscape can change between now and then.

It would be excellent. Anything over $100m would be amazing. I’d argue that the range of Spider-Man: Homecoming both DOM and WW (pending China and OS exchanges) should be the template for a successful Superman reboot.

[JWR]

3 minutes ago, ChipDerby said:

I want to be realistic and say my OW expectation for this would be $120 mil. (Though Man of Steel inflated would be $150 mil)

 

But the box office landscape can change between now and then.

 

$80-100M is my realistic prediction. Might go up or down depending on WOM and production news.