It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a box office record! James Gunn’s Superman has passed the $300 million mark at the international box office, with more than half of the earnings coming from the United States domestic audiences. It’s estimated to earn over $400 million internationally as the highest-grossing superhero movie of the year. As it dives into its second week in theaters, Superman’s domestic earnings have surpassed $200 million on July 19, and it has already exceeded the lifetime earnings of Black Adam and Shazam!. Superman and Krypto have overtaken Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns (2006), which earned $200 million throughout its time in theaters, in ten days. Its biggest competition right now among the Kal-el films is Zach Snyder’s Man of Steel, which reached close to $300 million domestically.
With Superman, Gunn made the big switch from Marvel to DC (after testing the waters with Suicide Squad) but has the money followed him over as well? Good news! It looks like it might’ve. Each of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies earned between $333-$390 million domestic throughout its course in theaters — Superman scored a similar opening to all three films — so if we follow the pattern, by the time Clark Kent heads back to Smallville, he’ll most likely be up there with the Guardians.
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