Warner Bros./DC Studios’ “Superman” is off and flying at the box office with $22.5 million from preview screenings, the most for any film this year.
That total is nearly double the $11.5 million preview total of Marvel’s “Thunderbolts*” and the $12 million preview total of “Captain America: Brave New World.” It also tops the previous Thursday preview best for 2025 of $14.5 million set on Memorial Day weekend by “Lilo & Stitch.”
Such a strong start is to be expected given that, over the past decade, top superhero films have filled up Thursday preview screenings with fans eager to see them as early as possible. “Superman” has enjoyed heavy anticipation from fans of the Man of Steel since it was first announced more than two years ago, and Warner Bros. has looked to capitalize on the hype with special early fan screenings available exclusively to Amazon Prime subscribers.
While facing flat ticket presales until this week, exhibition sources tell TheWrap that presales have surged over the past two days following strong critical and fan reception. Currently, “Superman” has Rotten Tomatoes scores of 82% critics and 95% audience.
Projections have widely ranged for “Superman,” with independent trackers projecting a $130 million launch while rival studios and insiders have projected openings since reviews dropped anywhere between $115 million and $135 million. An opening on the upper range puts it alongside the $133 million of the 2022 DC film “The Batman,” while the lower end puts it alongside the $118 million start of director James Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” in May 2023.
“Superman” is now in theaters.
