James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ is Now Projected to Earn Less than Snyder’s ‘Batman V Superman’ During It’s Opening Weekend

James Gunn’s new Superman movie could make a big splash at the box office, but it might still earn less than Batman v Superman did back in 2016.

According to early tracking numbers from the National Research Group (NRG), the film is expected to open with about $135 million in the U.S. That number would put it among the top openings for a DC film, but still behind Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which earned $166 million when it hit theaters.

The new Superman would, however, beat the last solo Superman film, Man of Steel, which opened to $116 million in 2013.

NRG has projected a range for the film’s debut, with numbers between $125 million and $145 million. But not everyone agrees on how strong the opening will be. Some insiders from Warner Bros. and DC Studios are being cautious, saying it might land closer to $90 million to $125 million. If it opens under $100 million, that could be seen as a weak result for such a high-profile release.

On the other hand, some box office experts who follow online buzz and social media believe it could perform much better. They suggest the film might even reach $175 million, which would be enough to beat Batman v Superman as the highest domestic opening for a DC movie. Only Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises have come close to those kinds of numbers, earning $158.4 million and $160.9 million, respectively.

If Gunn’s Superman lands right at $135 million, it would still open higher than The Batman ($134 million) and Suicide Squad ($133.7 million).

The film is set to launch on July 11 across North America and other parts of the world. It’s the first project fully led by James Gunn and Peter Safran as part of their new plan for the DC Universe. That puts a lot of pressure on the film to do well, especially since it’s the first big step in DC’s attempt to catch up to Marvel’s success.

David Corenswet plays Superman in this new take on the character. Rachel Brosnahan stars as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult plays Lex Luthor. The story follows Clark Kent as he tries to balance his life as a regular person and as Superman after arriving on Earth from Krypton. There’s also a fun addition in this version: Superman’s dog, Krypto.

The cast includes several other characters from the DC world, such as Jimmy Olsen, Mister Terrific, Metamorpho, Hawkgirl, and The Engineer. DC and Warner Bros. still have three weeks left to push marketing for the movie, and how well they do could affect just how big the opening weekend turns out to be.

With all eyes on this movie, a strong box office could give DC Studios the boost it needs to launch its new universe.

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