Warner Bros. and DC Studios’ highly anticipated film, "Superman", has soared into theaters, raking in an impressive $56.5 million during its initial release weekend, which includes Friday and preview screenings across 4,135 theaters. This marks the second-highest opening figure for the calendar year, trailing only behind "A Minecraft Movie" at $57.11 million and ahead of "Lilo & Stitch", which earned $55.94 million. Notably, "Superman" benefited from early-access screenings on Tuesday for Amazon Prime members, preceding the traditional Thursday evening debut.
The superhero reboot, directed and written by James Gunn, known for the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy, was initially projected to debut with around $100 million. However, some optimistic forecasts suggested figures exceeding $140 million just a day before its release. As the weekend progresses, estimates are settling closer to $120 million, bolstered by higher ticket prices for IMAX and premium large format screenings.
This film is not just another addition to the Warner Bros. lineup; it plays a crucial role in establishing a new cinematic universe for DC Comics characters. With a substantial production budget of $225 million, "Superman" carries the weight of future superhero blockbusters, potentially paving the way for a series of lucrative films. To ensure the franchise’s longevity, it will need to maintain strong performance post-opening and compete effectively against other summer releases. Fortunately, "Superman" is receiving positive reviews and has earned an impressive A- grade from Cinema Score, indicating strong audience approval.
In this reboot, David Corenswet takes on the iconic role of the Man of Steel, battling billionaire Lex Luthor, portrayed by Nicholas Hoult. Under his alter ego of Clark Kent, he partners with journalist Lois Lane, played by Rachel Brosnahan. The film also introduces a host of other superheroes, including Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan), and Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), alongside Daily Planet reporter Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo).
Sliding into second place, Universal’s "Jurassic World Rebirth" added $11.3 million on Friday, and is projected to earn $38.7 million over the three-day weekend, reflecting a 58% decrease from its previous weekend totals. Notably, "Rebirth" had a five-day opening that began on a Wednesday, leading into the Fourth of July holiday. It crossed the $200 million mark in domestic gross on Friday and is on track to reach $230 million by the end of the weekend.
In third place is Warner Bros.’ collaboration with Apple Studios on the racing thriller "F1", which added $3.7 million on Friday. The film, featuring Brad Pitt, has accumulated $126.9 million in North America, making its way into the top 10 domestic earners of the year. However, with a hefty $250 million production budget, the profitability of "F1" remains questionable.
Universal's "How to Train Your Dragon" continues to perform well, placing fourth with an additional $2.3 million on Friday. The live-action remake is projected to earn $7.7 million over the weekend, bringing its total domestic gross to around $239 million.
Finally, Disney and Pixar’s original animated feature "Elio" rounds out the top five, generating another $1.2 million on Friday and pushing its domestic total to $60.9 million. Despite decent week-to-week holds, "Elio" struggles to recover from its disappointing $20 million opening weekend, which is the lowest ever for a Pixar film.
