‘Supergirl’ Is Already Struggling at the Box Office and the Numbers Tell a Troubling Story for DC Studios
The DC Universe is still finding its footing, and ‘Supergirl‘ has given James Gunn’s ambitious rebuild one of its first genuine tests. As the follow-up to last year’s ‘Superman,’ the Warner Bros. film stars ‘House of the Dragon’s’ Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cosmic cousin, in a story that takes her across the galaxy on a mission of vengeance and justice. Director Craig Gillespie, known for ‘I, Tonya’ and ‘Cruella,’ helmed the picture from a screenplay by Ana Nogueira, with Jason Momoa joining the cast as the galactic bounty hunter Lobo.
The film is adapted from Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s critically acclaimed ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’ comic run, centering on Kara teaming up with a young girl named Ruthye Marye Knoll, played by Eve Ridley, to track down the villain Krem of the Yellow Hills after he murders her family. It is the kind of stripped-down, emotionally grounded premise that could have distinguished the film from standard superhero fare, but critical reception has been decidedly divided heading into its opening weekend.
As @DiscussingFilm reported, ‘Supergirl’ earned $18 million on its domestic opening day, and it is now tracking to finish the weekend with just $40 million. Early estimates had started at $70 million and gradually slipped to $55 million, then $50 million, then $45 million, before landing below $40 million. The film was unable to overtake ‘Toy Story 5’ at the top of the domestic chart, with the Pixar sequel pulling in an estimated $21.5 million on Friday alone as it heads toward a massive second weekend.
The opening marks a significant drop from ‘Superman,’ which took in $125 million during its first three days at the domestic box office before going on to gross $618.7 million worldwide against a reported budget of $225 million. The new film carries a reported $170 million price tag, plus worldwide marketing costs, making the underperformance a genuine concern for the studio. For a franchise that was just beginning to build serious momentum, the trajectory is not encouraging.
On Rotten Tomatoes, ‘Supergirl’ holds a 57% Tomatometer score based on 148 reviews, a steep drop from ‘Superman’s’ 83% and a far cry from ‘Creature Commandos’ at 95% and ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 at 94%. Audiences have been kinder, with a verified audience score sitting at 77%, suggesting a notable split between critical and general viewer responses. The near-universal consensus across both camps, however, is that Alcock herself is the film’s most compelling element.
Critics who found merit in the film pointed repeatedly to Alcock’s strong lead performance and the chemistry she shares with David Corenswet’s Superman in his cameo appearances, with several reviewers noting the two share a fun, instantly recognizable sibling energy. Recurring criticisms, meanwhile, centered on flat pacing, generic action sequences, an unmemorable villain, and tonal inconsistency throughout Ana Nogueira’s screenplay.
Alcock is set to reprise the role in ‘Man of Tomorrow’ in 2027, which is currently in production, meaning the character’s future in the DCU is not in question regardless of how this opening weekend plays out. Next up for DC Studios on the theatrical side is the R-rated ‘Clayface,’ starring Tom Rhys Harries, set for release this October. Whether ‘Supergirl’ finds its legs through word of mouth or fades quickly under stiff summer competition remains the central question for Gunn and his team right now, and it would be interesting to hear whether audiences who caught the film this weekend think Alcock deserved a better movie to carry.
