Zack Snyder Reacts to ‘Superman’ Box Office Comparison With ‘Man of Steel’

As soon as James Gunn’s Superman wrapped its theatrical run, fans started comparing its success to Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel. The movie, starring David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, opened the new DC Universe and performed very well at the box office, particularly in the U.S.

According to The Numbers, Superman earned $615.2 million worldwide. The domestic market brought in $354 million, making it the 73rd highest-grossing film in U.S. history. Internationally, the film collected $262 million, which is $92 million less than its domestic haul.

With a production budget of about $225 million, not counting marketing, the movie needed roughly $450–562 million globally to break even. With its final total, it comfortably surpassed that threshold. Variety reports that Superman is expected to generate around $125 million in theatrical profit for Warner Bros. Discovery. The studio is already moving forward with a sequel, Man of Tomorrow, set to film next year for a July 9, 2027 release.

Fans and analysts naturally began comparing the new movie to 2013’s Man of Steel, which started the original DCEU. Unadjusted for inflation, Man of Steel grossed $670.1 million worldwide, with $291 million from domestic theaters and $379.1 million internationally.

However, adjusting for inflation and production costs gives a clearer picture. Domestic earnings rise to about $419.1 million, while worldwide totals are estimated at $798.2 million, or potentially $868.2 million including some market adjustments. At the time, Warner Bros. reportedly made $42.7 million in profit from Man of Steel.

Recently, Zack Snyder even liked a post comparing the box office numbers of the new Superman and Man of Steel, showing that the discussion around which film was more successful continues among fans.

It’s clear both films made strong impressions in their respective eras. While Gunn’s Superman had a solid domestic run and started a new phase of the DC Universe, Man of Steel, especially when adjusted for inflation, still shows strong historical performance. Personally, it’s exciting to see the new DCU kicking off so strongly, and it will be interesting to watch how Man of Tomorrow performs.

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