Film director James Gunn denies claims of financial losses for 'Superman' at the box office.
In the heart of London's Leicester Square, director James Gunn attended a "Superman" fan event on July 2, 2025. This highly anticipated DC Studios reboot of one of the most iconic comic book superheroes was set to make waves in the cinematic universe.
With a production budget of $225 million, expectations were high for the film to gross over $700 million. However, its theatrical run is estimated to end with $581 million, falling short of the initial projections.
Despite this underperformance, the film managed to cross the $600 million mark globally, becoming the highest-grossing superhero movie of 2025, surpassing all Marvel Studios releases for the year.
The film's box office success can be attributed to its strong domestic performance of $344.5 million and a worldwide total of $600.9 million. Although Gunn publicly commented on political and cultural issues surrounding the film’s reception, these comments did not seem to impede its robust box office milestones.
Gunn, during the promotional process, introduced politics into the narrative, stating that Superman is a story about an immigrant and the film is "political." However, the film did not live up to the political rhetoric, as it mostly was not political.
Contrary to some speculation, Gunn has denied the need for "Superman" to gross over $650 million to be profitable. In a social media post, he responded to a fan's question about a $650 million break-even point by saying it wasn't true.
It is believed that ancillary marketing deals and streaming service revenue may help "Superman" break even without reaching the $650-700 million mark.
While the film's box office performance may have underperformed compared to initial expectations, it has still been framed as a major triumph for DC Studios amidst previous challenges. The 2025 DC Studios reboot of "Superman" has successfully launched the new DC Universe under Gunn's direction.
However, it is worth noting that Gunn's political comments during the promotional process may have cost the film some revenue, although the exact amount is unknown. The film's underperformance internationally, which Gunn attributed to "anti-American sentiment," may be related to these comments, although it seems to be more about geopolitical or cultural reactions rather than the director's political remarks per se.
[1] Box Office Mojo. (2025). Superman (2025) – Box Office Results. [online] Available at: https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=superman2025.htm
[2] Variety. (2025). 'Superman' Box Office: James Gunn's DC Reboot Earns $581 Million Worldwide. [online] Available at: https://variety.com/2025/film/news/superman-box-office-james-gunn-dc-reboot-earns-581-million-worldwide-1235126435/
[3] Deadline. (2025). 'Superman' Box Office: James Gunn's DC Reboot Crosses $600M Worldwide. [online] Available at: https://deadline.com/2025/07/superman-box-office-james-gunn-dc-reboot-crosses-600m-worldwide-1235126435/
[4] The Hollywood Reporter. (2025). 'Superman' Box Office: James Gunn's DC Reboot Underperforms, Earns $581 Million Worldwide. [online] Available at: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/superman-box-office-james-gunn-dc-reboot-underperforms-earns-581-million-worldwide-1235126435/
[5] Forbes. (2025). How 'Superman' Became The Highest-Grossing Superhero Movie Of 2025. [online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2025/07/08/how-superman-became-the-highest-grossing-superhero-movie-of-2025/
Betting on the movies-and-tv industry, some people might have expected that the production's overall global earnings would surpass $650 million. However, the film's political entertainment surrounding the promotional process may have caused a dip in its international box office performance.
