The upcoming movie Superman has a lot of weight on its shoulders. In addition to having to make back its own budget and turn a profit for Warner Bros. Discovery, James Gunn’s Superman has the honor of launching the DC Universe. Now a new report claims just how much Superman must make to turn a profit and boost the DCU going forward.
The new live-action endeavor, which features actor David Corenswet as the titular superhero, also includes Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, and Milly Alcock as Supergirl.
As mentioned, the film will fully introduce the DC Universe as a live-action film franchise, one that will use these cast members and various others to carry their films and shows forward. Of course, the DCU’s future also depends on the financial success of the film, which is said to have a $225 million budget according to The Wrap.
The outlet additionally spoke to a talent agent who offered their insights regarding what the film must make in order to turn a profit. With the $225 million budget in mind, this agent suggests that James Gunn’s Superman will have to make as much as $700 million worldwide in order to be called a success by the studio.
“While release dates are important, I don’t think the challenge is ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth‘ or any other film,” they shared. “The challenge is almost entirely a question of if Superman resonates with today’s audience. Did they successfully update an Eisenhower-era character so the 2025 Gen Z audience can identify with him?”
“The simple brand recognition of Superman will probably take them to or close to $500 million worldwide, but anything above that will be because the audience identifies with the title character,” the insider added.
Additionally, another source claims $500 million could be enough to turn a profit, but Warner Bros. Discovery is hoping to make much, much more in an effort to rejuvenate the studio. While there are several DC Universe projects in the pipeline regardless of how Superman performs at the box office, the franchise’s future could still be much shorter-lived if Superman fails.
As such, we’ll have to see how Superman plays out when it hits theaters on July 11, 2025 and whether or not it makes a profit. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates regarding this highly-anticipated blockbuster as we have them.