Numbers Show James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ Is a Box Office Success

James Gunn’s Superman has turned into a financial win for Warner Bros. The film has made $614 million worldwide as of September 7, 2025.

That includes $353 million from the U.S. and Canada and another $261 million from international markets. Variety reported that, after expenses, the studio is set to walk away with about $125 million in net profit from the theatrical run.

This result is better than some analysts expected. Earlier in the summer, TheWrap said the film had to cross $500 million worldwide to avoid losing money, and closer to $700 million to really be called a success.

Before release, The Hollywood Reporter predicted a possible billion-dollar run, pointing to strong trailer numbers. But the outlet also noted Warner Bros. spent about $400 million on production and marketing combined, which raised the break-even bar higher.

Box office predictions were widely spread in the lead-up. Some tracking suggested Superman could open with as much as $175 million domestically, while others said it might land closer to $90 million. In the end, the film launched with $220 million worldwide during its first weekend, with $95 million of that coming from overseas markets.

Superman performed best in the United Kingdom, Mexico, China, Brazil, and Australia. But the turnout in China was softer than hoped, with the film opening in fourth place. Industry analyst David A. Gross explained this by saying, “Superman has always been identified as a quintessentially American character and story, and in some parts of the world, America is currently not enjoying its greatest popularity.”

Despite the mixed international results, Warner Bros. is moving full speed ahead with more Superman projects. In June, James Gunn revealed he was already writing a new story for the hero, though he stressed it would not be a direct sequel.

By August, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav confirmed Gunn would return as both writer and director. The filmmaker later shared that the next installment is called Man of Tomorrow and is set to arrive on July 9, 2027. David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult are both expected to reprise their roles.

Gunn is also looking at expanding the “Super-Family” on television. Reports suggest that characters like Mister Terrific and Jimmy Olsen could get their own shows. Journalist Jeff Sneider has said that Skyler Gisondo is in talks to star in a Jimmy Olsen series on HBO Max, which could even introduce Gorilla Grodd into the DC Universe.

Superman may not have reached the billion-dollar mark some expected, but a $125 million profit in today’s market is still a strong result for Warner Bros. It also shows that audiences are open to James Gunn’s new vision for DC.

With another film already on the way and possible spin-offs in development, Superman looks to be back in a central role for the studio. What do you think—was this run a big enough win for DC, or did you expect more? Share your thoughts in the comments.