David Corenswet’s debut as the Man of Steel is proving to be a solid performer at the global box office. James Gunn’s Superman, which kickstarted a brand-new chapter in the DC Universe, continues its steady run both in India and overseas, even as it experiences the usual second-weekend slowdown.
As per industry tracker Sacnilk.com, the film added around ₹1.5 crore to its India net on Day 8, taking its total domestic collection to ₹37 crore across all languages. Its first-week collection stood at ₹35.5 crore, driven primarily by strong weekend footfalls. Although the midweek buzz saw a slight dip due to the arrival of new content, trade experts believe the film is holding up well.
The film sees Superman (David Corenswet) in conflicts that question his actions, allowing tech billionaire Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) to undermine him, while intrepid journalist Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) works to help clear his name. It delves into Superman's journey of reconciling his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing and the meaning of heroism in a complex world.
Internationally, Superman has already soared past the $200 million mark in the US and Canada as of its second Saturday, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film is projected to end its second weekend with over $400 million globally, putting it on course for a lifetime total of more than $600 million.
With a production budget of $225 million, this performance is especially noteworthy given DC’s recent box office struggles. Domestically, Superman is likely to end the weekend with around $234 million, despite a 54–55% drop in its second weekend earnings, estimated to fall between $56 and $57 million. The weekday collections held relatively strong thanks to positive word-of-mouth, contributing to what’s being seen as a healthy run for a superhero film.
Our CE review of the film read, "The biggest strength of the film is that it makes you believe an extremely affable, superpowered character believing in the goodness of humans can be realistic and even aspirational."
While Gunn’s Superman gets another full week of box office breathing room, the next major test arrives on July 25 with the release of Fantastic Four: First Steps. With both DC and Marvel trying to rejuvenate their respective cinematic universes, the coming weeks could set the tone for the future of both franchises.