The highly anticipated reboot of Superman under the newly rebranded DC Universe franchise has made an impressive splash at the global box office, raking in $217 million worldwide and surpassing internal expectations.

With a robust $122 million opening domestically, the film outperformed Warner Bros.’ initial projections of $90 million to $125 million, despite falling slightly short of the $125-$145 million estimate from industry tracker the National Research Group.

Produced on a $225 million budget, Superman is already on track to turn a profit, even after accounting for marketing costs. Critics have largely embraced the film, awarding it an 82% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences have responded enthusiastically with a 93% approval score.

The film’s strong debut signals a promising future for the DC Universe, with Supergirl slated to arrive in summer 2026. While Western markets have embraced the superhero revival, Asian regions such as South Korea and China showed more muted enthusiasm.

Directed by James Gunn and produced by DC co-head Peter Safran, the film stars David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicolas Hoult.

Industry insiders note that the film’s success has bolstered the confidence of the franchise’s team without negatively impacting other Hollywood releases this weekend. The success story sets a positive tone for the future of DC’s cinematic endeavors.