The success of James Gunn’s Superman movie continues as the DC Universe installment has surpassed Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel in a major box office update. The Man of Tomorrow has finally made his cinematic return, as the Superman ending has become a proper launch for the DCU timeline, with DC Studios’ rebooted franchise marking the dawn of a new era for the DC brand.
Starring David Corenswet as the newest take on the DC legend, the Superman movie has become one of the first critical wins for DC in many years after several DCEU films struggling, which brought an end to the decade-long franchise in 2023. As Superman continues its theatrical run, the 2025 installment has now hit another box office record.
Box Office Mojo is reporting that Gunn’s Superman movie has officially crossed $292.4 million in the domestic box office as of Tuesday, July 29, with a total of $506.5 million worldwide. Superman’s domestic number means it has officially surpassed Snyder’s Man of Steel in the domestic category, with the 2013 DCEU installment having finished its US run with $291 million.
At the time of this story’s publication, the Superman domestic box office numbers are unadjusted for inflation. The domestic box office success of Superman comes only 18 days after Gunn’s DCU installment opened in theaters earlier this month, with big releases like Jurassic World Rebirth and The Fantastic Four: First Steps also playing right now.
What The Superman Box Office Update Means
Gunn’s Superman Movie Is The Proper Start For The DCU
With the latest domestic numbers for Gunn’s Superman, the DC Studios-produced film is officially the highest-grossing Superman movie of all time in the U.S. market. Gunn’s Superman movie is also beating out the domestic box office for all of Christopher Reeve’s films between 1978 to 1987, both domestically and worldwide, as well as 2006’s Superman Returns with Brandon Routh.
|
Superman Movie |
Domestic Box Office |
International Box Office |
Worldwide Box Office |
|
Superman (1978) |
$134.4 million |
$166 million |
$300.4 million |
|
Superman II (1980) |
$108.1 million |
$108.2 million |
$216.3 million |
|
Superman III (1983) |
$59.9 million |
$20.3 million |
$80.2 million |
|
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) |
$15.6 million |
$14.6 million |
$30.2 million |
|
Superman Returns (2006) |
$200 million |
$191 million |
$391 million |
|
Man of Steel (2013) |
$291 million |
$379.1 million |
$670.1 million |
|
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) |
$330.3 million |
$544 million |
$874.3 million |
|
Justice League (2017) |
$229 million |
$432.3 million |
$661.3 million |
|
Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) |
N/A (HBO Max Exclusive) |
N/A (HBO Max Exclusive) |
N/A (HBO Max Exclusive) |
|
Superman (2025) |
$292.4 million (as of 7/29/25) |
$214.1 million (as of 7/29/25) |
$506.5 million (as of 7/29/25) |
The bigger question is whether or not 2025’s Superman will beat Man of Steel’s worldwide box office numbers by the time Gunn’s installment has finished its theatrical run. While Superman may not cross Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’s global numbers, Gunn’s 2025 film could potentially surpass Man of Steel and 2017’s Justice League, depending on how the next few weeks play out.
Our Take On The Superman Box Office Update
Gunn’s Superman Continues To Revive DC’s Movie Brand
From the latest updates on Superman’s box office success in the domestic market, it’s evident that the audience for Krypton’s last son is still very strong, as this becomes a win for DC Studios and their new DCU franchise. With the many Easter eggs and DC references in Superman, it’s clear that the DCU has only just begun for DC Studios.
|
Superman Movie |
Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Superman II |
88% |
76% |
|
Superman: The Movie |
88% |
86% |
|
Superman (2025) |
83% (as of 7/29/25) |
91% (as of 7/29/25) |
|
Superman Returns |
72% |
60% |
|
Zack Snyder’s Justice League |
71% |
92% |
|
Man of Steel |
57% |
75% |
|
Superman III |
31% |
23% |
|
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice |
28% |
63% |
|
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace |
14% |
16% |
As the majority of the Superman movie reviews have been in the film’s favor, word of mouth is clearly playing a factor in the film’s box office trajectory. Hopefully, after all the hard work that was put into Superman, the new success for the DCU will be something that ideally continues for upcoming DC Studios releases in the coming years.
Source: Box Office Mojo
