'Supergirl' Movie Suffers Box Office Flop With $38 Million Opening

The newly released film 'Supergirl,' a significant production costing $170 million, has underperformed at the box office, earning an estimated $38 million in its opening weekend in U.S. and Canadian theaters. The film added an additional $30 million from overseas markets, falling short of expectations for one of the year's anticipated releases.

Despite initial excitement following a cameo in another DC film, 'Supergirl' received a lukewarm reception from critics, with some labeling it a "dispiritng girl power disappointment." The movie garnered a 56% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 'B-' CinemaScore from audiences. This performance represents a notable setback for Warner Bros.' new DC film leadership, James Gunn and Peter Safran, who took over DC Studios in late 2022. Their previous release, 'Superman' (2025), achieved a worldwide gross of $618 million, providing a more hopeful start.

'Supergirl's opening weekend figures place it behind other DC films that had disappointing debuts, such as 'The Flash' ($55 million in 2023) and 'The Green Lantern' ($53 million in 2011). The film's domestic performance also lagged significantly behind 'Toy Story 5,' which dominated the box office with $70 million in its opening week and has accumulated $585 million globally in two weeks.

Industry analysts suggest that superhero films, in general, are no longer driving box office numbers as they did pre-pandemic. David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm FranchiseRe, noted that the genre's annual box office revenue has decreased by approximately $3.5 billion since its peak between 2017 and 2019. Furthermore, recent years have seen a downturn in the performance of female-led superhero movies, following earlier successes like 'Wonder Woman' and 'Captain Marvel.'

Milly Alcock stars as Kara Zor-El, a cousin of Superman, in the film directed by Craig Gillespie. While some critics praised Alcock's performance, her portrayal of the character as a "Gen-Z malcontent" and "swaggering layabout" drew mixed reactions. The film's narrative reportedly underwent significant trimming after test screenings, impacting its critical reception.

Alcock herself faced backlash regarding her appearance after being cast, a controversy amplified when actor Dean Cain, known for playing Superman in the 1990s television series, appeared to mock her likeness on social media. Alcock has stated she is ignoring such criticism, attributing it to anonymous online accounts.

The studio's next DC release is scheduled for October, with 'Clayface,' described as a body horror film. 'Man of Tomorrow,' a follow-up to Gunn's 'Superman,' is currently in production and slated for a July 2027 release.

Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of the film studio, is currently in the process of being acquired by Paramount Skydance.