James Gunn’s Superman continues to reign supreme at the global box office, securing its position as the top film for the second consecutive weekend. The superhero blockbuster earned an impressive $57.3 million in North America alone during its second week, despite experiencing a 54% drop from its opening weekend—a standard decline for a major summer release. These numbers demonstrate the film’s solid staying power and widespread audience appeal.
Starring David Corenswet in the title role, Superman successfully held off several new entries, including I Know What You Did Last Summer, Smurfs, and Eddington, none of which could match its commercial strength. With its global earnings now exceeding $400 million, the film is quickly advancing toward the prestigious $1 billion mark. The positive reviews and strong audience feedback are expected to further boost its performance in the weeks ahead.
Warner Bros. and DC Studios have placed significant expectations on Superman, viewing it as a cornerstone for their new 10-year cinematic roadmap. Following the collapse of the DC Extended Universe, co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran were entrusted with reviving the brand, and Superman appears to be the bold first step in that new direction. Produced with a budget of $225 million, the film’s success marks a crucial financial and critical victory for DC’s rebooted era.
Meanwhile, other releases struggled to find footing. Sony’s I Know What You Did Last Summer managed a modest $13 million debut, which, while respectable given its $18 million budget, fell short of expectations for a reboot of a well-known horror franchise. Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, the film picks up the story 27 years after the 1997 original. Paramount’s Smurfs, featuring Rihanna as the voice of Smurfette, opened in fourth place with $11 million and was met with harsh criticism, garnering only a 21% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Despite the dominance of Superman, older films are also showing surprising strength at the box office. Jurassic World: Rebirth, from Universal Pictures, took second place this weekend with $23.4 million in its third week. Additionally, the Brad Pitt-led F1: The Movie, a collaboration between Apple Studios and Warner Bros., has become a sleeper hit globally. In its fourth week, the racing drama has already accumulated $460.8 million worldwide, especially excelling in international markets.
As the industry watches closely, all eyes will be on Disney’s upcoming release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps next weekend, which will be a significant test for Superman‘s continued dominance.