Superman Digital Release: 15 DC Movies It Overthrew at the Box Office Prove James Gunn Isn’t a Failure

James Gunn’s Superman was released on digital and PVOD on August 15, a month after the film’s theatrical release. Despite it not being a billion-dollar hit, it is still a major success, making fans wonder why the film was coming out so early. Gunn clarifies that it was due to Peacemaker season 2’s release (via Variety).

The film did great at the box office, with its worldwide gross at the time of writing being $586 million (via The Numbers). While not a huge hit like The Dark Knight trilogy or even Man of Steel, Gunn’s DCU film is not a failure, as it has fared much better than a whole bunch of DC adaptations. Gunn’s Superman has surpassed 15 DC movies that were released since 2000, in terms of box office performance.

1 Catwoman (2004) – $82M

Halle Berry had already played Storm in the X-Men franchise and had won the Oscar for Monster’s Ball. However, her starring role in Catwoman got her a Razzie award. Based on the popular villain of the Batman comics, the movie had little to do with the established canon and did not focus on Selina Kyle’s version of the character.

The movie abandoned its comic book roots and used the character’s popularity to show a generic action movie. Weak direction, action choreography, and performances were just a huge let-down. The weird basketball sequence still stands out. The film earned only $82 million against a $100 million budget and was a huge flop (via Box Office Mojo).

2 Constantine (2005) – $230M

Keanu Reeves’ Constantine was not a flop and actually received mixed to positive reviews. The supernatural horror film had a budget of $100 million, and its $230 million box office gross (via Box Office Mojo) made it moderately profitable but not enough to start a franchise like other films of the time, like Spider-Man 2 and Batman Begins.

The movie later became a cult classic. The relative obscurity of John Constantine, its R-rating, and its not being a traditional superhero movie may have worked against it. However, a sequel has been in development for quite some time now, with Reeves ready to return to his role.

3 Superman Returns (2006) – $391M

Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns was a direct sequel to Superman I and II, which starred Christopher Reeve. Brandon Routh replaced the legendary star in the sequel, but it was not as huge a hit. With a $200 million budget, the movie only grossed $391 million at the box office, which was too less for a film of that scale (via Box Office Mojo). 

All sequel plans were canceled, and Man of Steel became the next live-action iteration of the character. Many criticized the slow pacing of the movie and Superman’s late reentry to heroics, though the movie received better responses in retrospect. Still, it was not as hopeful or fun as James Gunn’s Superman, nor was it as grand as Man of Steel.

4 Watchmen (2009) – $187M

Zack Snyder’s first attempt at a DC comics adaptation, Watchmen’s theatrical release was widely panned for its unorthodox filmmaking and Snyder’s typical touches. Based on Alan Moore’s legendary graphic novel, the film was a commentary on superheroes and their popularity. It was set in an alternative retrofuturistic society.

Despite its cult status, the film was a box office bomb, earning only $187 million at the box office despite an almost $150 million budget (via The Numbers). Many criticized the long runtime, the bleak atmosphere, and the slow pacing. The characters were also not popular, and the deviation from Moore’s comic book story angered many pure fans.

5 Jonah Hex (2010) – $11M

We know Josh Brolin as Thanos and Cable, but before all of those comic book characters, he played Jonah Hex first in the eponymous flop. It also had a strong ensemble cast, including Michael Fassbender, Megan Fox, John Malkovich, and Michael Shannon.

But the film was reportedly a critical and commercial failure, earning only $11 million. The production reportedly faced a lot of hurdles, including extensive reshoots, which messed with the original film.

6 Green Lantern (2011) – $220M

With a production budget of almost $219 million, Green Lantern was destined to be a commercial flop. But its quality did not help its case. The film’s reception was so bad that Ryan Reynolds himself addressed it in Deadpool 2.

Many criticized the wasted potential of the movie, with badly made CGI and a very thin villain. Hal Jordan’s storyline was also criticized for rushing through the emotional bits that resulted in a bad payoff.

7 Shazam! (2019) – $366M

David F. Sandberg’s Shazam! had its heart in the right place, and its humor was on point. Zachary Levi was the perfect embodiment of the character, while his co-stars brought in incredible performances. While it was not a flop and its surprise box office performance even got it a sequel, the lack of popularity of the main character may have discouraged more audiences from turning up.

The film’s light-hearted tone was also a hard sell, and the fact that it was released only a few weeks before Avengers: Endgame, the biggest event film of the decade, definitely contributed to losses. Nevertheless, the film was a modest hit, but its sequel was not.

8 Birds of Prey (2020) – $205M

No matter what anyone says, Birds of Prey is a good film. There is a lot of hate against the movie, but beyond that, it was a fun watch that was wacky and quirky in a whole new way. The film, however, was a box office bomb, falling short of its breakeven point. Several factors contributed to its low reception, despite positive responses from most fans.

One of the biggest problems with the movie was its marketing. Focusing on Harley Quinn in its marketing material may have gotten it a wider opening, as the Birds of Prey were not as popular as Margot Robbie’s central character. Its R-rating also affected the number of audiences who could watch the movie.

It was released a few weeks before the global pandemic shut down theaters, and hence, it could not enjoy a good enough run.

9 Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) – $166M

Plans for a sequel were imminent after the massive success of Wonder Woman. However, COVID delays resulted in a simultaneous streaming release for Wonder Woman 1984, due to in-person theaters being mostly shut down following the pandemic.

The film was a significant downgrade from the previous film, with the story and the VFX drawing huge criticisms. Sequel plans were canceled after James Gunn took over as co-chief of DC Studios.

10 The Suicide Squad (2021) – $168M

James Gunn’s first DC movie was the hilarious reboot/sequel of Suicide Squad. The film saw Margot Robbie return as Harley Quinn for the third time and Idris Elba as Bloodsport, replacing Will Smith’s Deadshot. It also introduced John Cena’s Peacemaker to the world, and the spinoff series will soon see its second season.

Gunn’s The Suicide Squad was a commercial flop, earning only $168 million against a $180 million budget (via The Numbers). However, it was due to simultaneous streaming on HBO Max during the global pandemic, and hence, Gunn was given the reins for DC Studios. It was appreciated by critics as a significant upgrade over the previous film.

11 Black Adam (2022) – $393M

The hierarchy of the DC universe definitely changed after Black Adam, but not in the way Dwayne Johnson intended. The spinoff of Shazam! had a long road to release, with Johnson being eyed for the role multiple regimes ago. However, the end-product was a box office bomb, resulting in a meagre $393 million payout against a $260 million budget (via THR).

There were many reasons for the failure, including a lack of interest in the project due to a reboot already being on the horizon. Superman’s cameo, which was supposed to be a major draw, did little to boost earnings, and the fact that it went nowhere annoyed fans. The Rock’s performance was also criticized, and the franchise died a quick death.

12 Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) – $133M

Several things went wrong with Shazam! Fury of the Gods. What was supposed to be a follow-up to one of the most surprising hits of the franchise turned out to be a disappointing affair, both critically and commercially.

The film was not marketed well, and Black Adam’s failure definitely affected its image. It was also one of the final films to be released in the DCEU, and there was a general lack of interest in the project.

13 The Flash (2023) – $271M

The Flash had one of the messiest releases in DC history. After years in development hell, the film finally kick-started with Andy Muschietti as the director. However, lead actor Ezra Miller’s controversies significantly delayed the project, and once it was released, the film drew criticism for its bad CGI, irrelevant storyline, and for gratuitous cameos that went nowhere. It was a box office bomb and was one of the final nails in the DCEU’s coffin.

14 Blue Beetle (2023) – $130M

Blue Beetle is another decent watch that suffered due to bad timing and poor marketing. The film featured a superhero that had low brand recognition, and despite James Gunn’s promises, the fact that it was part of a soon-to-be rebooted franchise did not generate audience interest. It earned only $130 million against a $125 million budget (via Box Office Mojo).

15 Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023) – $440M

Jason Momoa may have secured a role as Lobo in James Gunn’s DCU, but he had the displeasure of bidding the DCEU goodbye with his box office bomb Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

Despite the first movie grossing a surprising billion dollars, the sequel’s significant delay, reshoots, and irrelevance to the franchise discouraged audiences. Amber Heard’s controversies also did not help the film, and it closed down the DCEU for good.

Did James Gunn’s Superman make a big splash at the box office? Was it a good enough opening? Comment below.

Superman is available for rent on Amazon Prime Video and is still playing in cinemas.