'Superman' Box Office Fizzles Out, Securing Yet Another Hollywood Superhero Flop

After years of decline, it seems like superhero movies are officially in trouble.

The entertainment industry, after the success of "Iron Man" and the ensuing Marvel Cinematic Universe, essentially reorganized itself around producing superhero movies. Smaller or more original projects were outsourced to Netflix and other streaming services, while major studios rushed to compile superhero intellectual properties. 

Pre-existing IP, the thinking went, would be "safe" at the box office. Any superhero property would be a more reliable source of revenue than original concepts. The summer of 2025, though, may have permanently killed that line of thinking. And it's partially Hollywood's fault. 

Disney's "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" is yet another flop, pulling in just $378 million at the global box office over its first two weeks. Its domestic gross dropped a whopping 67.1% from Weekend 1 to Weekend 2. That's a tough franchise to sell, far less popular than some of Marvel's other characters.

But maybe the most disheartening result is James Gunn's "Superman" falling far short of breaking even. And with the film nearing a full month in theaters, it's safe to say that it's going to finish well, well short of its target. 

James Gunn's "Superman" is officially a box-office failure. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

‘Superman’ Disappoints At Global Box Office

In the lead up to the release of "Superman," Gunn made headlines by unnecessarily bringing politics into the film, saying the character and story were about being an "immigrant" and "kindness." He also specifically said, in an interview with the Times of London, that "Yes, it's about politics," a bizarre statement for a film that isn't particularly political.

But for moviegoers on the fence about seeing it, Gunn's remarks might have made their decision for them. And while the film has grossed roughly $320 million at the domestic box office, its anemic international performance, just $239 million, may have been outweighed by an even higher domestic total – one it's not likely to achieve.

Since its release, "Superman" has grossed $559 million, per Box Office Mojo. Multiple sources, prior to the film's release, said it would need to cross the $700 million threshold to reach profitability, based on an estimated $325 million to $425 million in production and marketing costs and a 50% theatrical revenue split.

Another $140 million at the box office is a virtual impossibility, given its international weakness and an expected upcoming weekend gross of around $7 million to $8 million domestically.

Gunn's political comments likely didn't impact the international gross, with moviegoers in Europe, for example, likely either unaware of his remarks or unbothered by them. But it does signal that the days of superhero invincibility are over. This is a huge property, one of the most popular superhero characters, with a top creative team that was vitally important to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And it's still a disappointment.

"Man of Steel," which was released in 2013, grossed $379 million internationally and $291 million domestically. Adjusted for inflation, that $379 million in 2013 is nearly $523 million today. The 2025 "Superman" is nearly $300 million behind internationally – and likely to settle well behind it domestically, too.

The appetite for superhero movies is clearly dwindling. And with Hollywood already struggling, this raises some uncomfortable questions. Where does the industry go from here? Was it a mistake to tell half the country they hate them? How do we refocus on storytelling after years of hiring talent and making movies based on specific criteria and not quality? 

They better come up with answers in a hurry, or things could get much worse.