Film & Media · Los Angeles
Supergirl debuts to $38 million, Toy Story 5 stays No. 1 as DC reboot hits speed bump
Warner Bros. and DC Studios' 'Supergirl' opened to an estimated $38 million in North America and $68 million globally, well below expectations and the launch of last year's 'Superman'. The result leaves the $170 million production facing a difficult path to profitability.
AI text based on reports by The Independent, The New York Times, ANSA.it and other publishers. Published . How it is made
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In brief
Supergirl’s North American opening of $38 million came in roughly 24 percent below final pre-release forecasts of $50–55 million and was lower than the 2022 debut of 'Morbius' ($39.1 million).
With a production budget estimated at $170 million and a massive marketing campaign involving 80 promotional partners, analysts consider $375 million in global ticket sales a rough break-even point. The opening weekend suggests that goal will be difficult to reach.
Disney-Pixar's animated sequel added $70 million domestically and $89.1 million internationally in its second weekend, pushing its worldwide take to about $585 million and leaving it firmly in first place.
The contrast with last year's 'Superman' ($125 million domestic opening, $618 million total) is testing the viability of expanding the rebooted DC Universe to less recognized characters. Studio co-chair Peter Safran said the franchise's long-term plan remains intact.
Paramount's 'Jackass: Best and Last' opened to only $8.4 million domestically and $1.9 million overseas, the weakest debut in the franchise's history. Its low production cost (about $10 million) limits financial damage.
Supergirl's underwhelming debut
The latest DC Comics adaptation, 'Supergirl', started with a muted $38 million across 3,600 North American theatres and another $30 million from 77 international markets, for a global tally of $68 million. Studio projections had already been lowered to between $50 million and $55 million domestically, but the actual figure fell roughly 24 percent below even those tempered estimates. The Craig Gillespie-directed film, starring Milly Alcock as the cousin of Superman, cost $170 million to produce and tens of millions more to market.
- Supergirl (North America)
- 38 $ million
- Supergirl (Overseas)
- 30 $ million
- Superman (North America)
- 125 $ million
- Superman (Overseas)
- 95 $ million
Data from the article text
Competition and critical response
The number-one title remained Disney-Pixar's 'Toy Story 5', collecting $70 million in its second weekend in North America and $89.1 million overseas, pushing its worldwide cumulative to about $585 million. 'Supergirl' also had to contend with the indie horror sensation 'Obsession', which earned another $10 million domestically in its seventh week, reaching a total of $234 million in the United States and Canada. Reviews for 'Supergirl' were poor, earning a 56 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes and a B-minus CinemaScore from ticket buyers. The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey described the film as ugly and dispiriting, writing: 'The character is strong. It is only a shame her surroundings are so listless.'
“The character is strong. It is only a shame her surroundings are so listless.”
A broader DC blueprint under scrutiny
The disappointing start comes one year after James Gunn's 'Superman' opened to $125 million domestically and eventually earned $618 million worldwide, a result that Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav hailed as proof the studio has a 'bold 10-year plan' for the rebooted DC Universe. The contrast is sharp: where 'Superman' featured one of the most recognisable heroes in popular culture, Supergirl's alter ego Kara Zor-El is far less familiar to general audiences.
DC Studios co-chair Peter Safran acknowledged the shortfall by telephone, calling it just one piece of a larger strategy.
“While 'Supergirl' did not meet our box office expectations, it is just one component of a broader, long-term strategy at DC Studios that we remain confident in.”
Other new releases and overall marketplace
Paramount's 'Jackass: Best and Last', the purported final entry in the prank franchise, also stumbled with $8.4 million in North America and just $1.9 million from 19 overseas markets, barely exceeding $10 million globally. The film was assembled quickly for around $10 million, but its debut is the worst of the series. 'Disclosure Day', Steven Spielberg's new science-fiction feature, took in roughly $8 million in its second weekend, for a running North American total of $94 million.
The broader box office continued its strong post-pandemic recovery. Total weekend ticket sales in the United States and Canada reached about $153.5 million, up 18 percent from the comparable frame last year.
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Sources and context
- The IndependentSupergirl bombs at the box office with worse opening than infamous Marvel movie
- The New York Times'Supergirl' Falters at the Box Office, Testing DC Studios' Reboot
- ANSA.itSupergirl non spicca il volo al box office Usa, in testa i giocattoli di Toy Story 5 - Cinema
- VarietyBox Office: 'Supergirl' Sputters Overseas With $30 Million, 'Jackass: Best and Last' Limps to $1.9 Million Internationally
- Milly Alcock
- Portrays Supergirl in the Warner Bros. and DC Studios film.
- Craig Gillespie
- Director of 'Supergirl'.
- Ana Nogueira
- Screenwriter of 'Supergirl'.
- Peter Safran
- Co-chairman and co-CEO of DC Studios, which produced 'Supergirl'.
- James Gunn
- Co-chair and co-CEO of DC Studios, architect of the rebooted DC Universe that launched with 'Superman'.
- David Zaslav
- CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of Warner Bros. and DC Studios.
- Clarisse Loughrey
- Chief film critic for The Independent, who gave 'Supergirl' a negative review.
- Andrew Stanton
- Director of 'Toy Story 5'.
- Johnny Knoxville
- Star of 'Jackass: Best and Last'.
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