‘Supergirl’ Preview Numbers Put It Near DC’s Lowest Box Office Performers

The initial box office results for ‘Supergirl’ are not aligning with the expectations of Warner Bros. or DC Studios as it heads into its opening weekend. According to The Hollywood Handle, the film’s domestic preview earnings of $7.8 million place it in a precarious position when compared to some of the franchise’s less successful titles.

The domestic preview figure includes earnings from Wednesday fan events and Thursday showings that began at 3 p.m. This amount surpasses ‘Black Adam,’ which earned $7.6 million in previews and opened to $67 million, and ‘The Marvels,’ which garnered $6.6 million in previews before launching to $46.1 million domestically. However, it falls short of ‘The Flash,’ which achieved $9.7 million in previews prior to its $55 million opening in 2023. This ranking is certainly concerning.

When considering international markets, ‘Supergirl’ opened to a total of $13 million globally on its first day, against a reported production budget of $170 million, excluding marketing and distribution expenses. The film debuted in Brooklyn on June 22 and was released theatrically on June 26, with James Gunn and Peter Safran producing under DC Studios.

The critical response has added to the film’s challenges. Currently, ‘Supergirl’ holds a 58% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, alongside a 77% audience score, both significantly lower than last year’s ‘Superman,’ which achieved 83% from critics and 90% from audiences. Notably, the 77% audience score is still better than recent DC films like ‘The Flash’ at 63%, ‘Shazam: Fury of the Gods’ at 49%, and ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ at 31%.

Directed by Craig Gillespie and penned by Ana Nogueira, the film adapts Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s acclaimed comic miniseries. It stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, alongside Matthias Schoenaerts, Jason Momoa as Lobo, Eve Ridley, and David Corenswet reprising his role as Superman. Critics have generally praised Alcock’s performance, while opinions on the storyline have been mixed.

Box Office Theory now estimates that the film’s total domestic run could finish around $125 million, which is the same amount that ‘Superman’ earned in its opening weekend alone. This figure highlights the significant gap between the two entries in Gunn’s DC Universe after just one film.

While the path to profitability is not impossible, it will require a substantial boost from international markets. Warner Bros. insiders have indicated that anything over $300 million worldwide would be considered a success, with the studio relying on Matthias Schoenaerts’ international appeal to help drive overseas earnings. With ‘Toy Story 5’ expected to dominate its second weekend and a packed July release schedule approaching, ‘Supergirl’ will have limited time to gain the traction needed to recover from a weak opening.

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