Supergirl’s Box Office Losses Reportedly Rank Among the Worst in DC History
When ‘Supergirl’ arrived in theaters this June, DC Studios hoped it would build on the momentum from ‘Superman’. Directed by Craig Gillespie and starring Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, the film adapted Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s comic miniseries ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’. The cast also included Jason Momoa as Lobo, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, and David Corenswet.
Things went wrong quickly. ‘Supergirl’ opened to just $37.1 million domestically and $68 million globally, against a reported production budget of $170 million to $186 million. It ended its 40-day theatrical run with about $126 million worldwide, making it the lowest-grossing DC movie ever released.
Now a new figure suggests that even home entertainment couldn’t rescue the film. According to a Page Six report, ‘Supergirl’ lost Warner Bros. a reported $135 million even after all digital and physical sales were counted. That would make it the second-biggest DC bomb of all time, behind only ‘The Flash’, which reportedly lost $155 million in 2023.
The studio had tried to limit the damage. Warner Bros. pulled ‘Supergirl’ from theaters earlier than planned and released it on digital platforms after about a month in cinemas. That meant the studio didn’t have to share digital revenue with theater chains, but the move apparently wasn’t enough to close the gap.
It’s worth noting that estimates for the film’s losses have varied widely since its release. Right after opening weekend, Deadline projected $125 million in losses, Variety said about $100 million, and TheWrap estimated $85 million. Other outlets put the number at $160 million or higher.
The final trailer for ‘SUPERGIRL’ has been released. • Tickets on sale now • In theaters on June 26 https://t.co/hiTkG52C3T
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 3, 2026
Those differences come down to how each outlet calculated costs and revenue. Variety reported that the studio spent another $120 million on marketing on top of the production budget. Sources pegged the film’s break-even point at around $300 million to $315 million, far above what it actually earned.
Not every list agrees on the ranking either. Some outlets have put Wonder Woman 1984’s losses at up to $135 million, which would put it level with the new ‘Supergirl’ figure. That makes it hard to say definitively where the film lands in DC history.
‘Supergirl’ wasn’t the studio’s only costly miss this year. Page Six previously reported that Warner Bros.’ 2026 slate is expected to lose more than $800 million. The biggest write-offs are Tom Cruise’s ‘Digger’ and ‘Supergirl’.
The film’s performance also showed up in the company’s finances. Warner Bros. Discovery singled out ‘Supergirl’ in its second-quarter earnings, when studio profits dropped 89% to $96 million.
The losses have become part of the story behind the latest DC shakeup. James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down as heads of DC Studios, and Marvel veteran Jeremy Latcham is taking over. Variety reports that the pair were dismissed after big-spending projects failed to connect, with insiders questioning the focus on lesser-known characters like Supergirl instead of marquee names.
At the time of release, Safran acknowledged that ‘Supergirl’ missed expectations but called it just one part of a broader long-term strategy. With new leadership arriving in December, that strategy is now under review. The film may still find fans at home, but its financial legacy looks settled. For DC, ‘Supergirl’ is likely to be remembered as a turning point that helped bring an era to an end.
Do you think ‘Supergirl’ deserved to become one of DC's biggest box office bombs?
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