July 21, 2025; James Gunn’s Superman has continued its valiant rise at the worldwide box office, snagging the coveted No. 1 position in North American theaters for the second weekend in a row. The Warner Bros. and DC Studios relaunch earned an estimated $57.3 million in its second weekend of release, proving its continued appeal.
Despite a 54% decline from its opening weekend in North America – a typical drop for a major summer blockbuster – “Superman” effectively upstaged all new releases, including Sony’s slasher film “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” Paramount’s animated “Smurfs,” and “Eddington.”
At $406.8 million worldwide, “Superman” has officially surpassed the $400 million mark. The coveted $1 billion, a crucial milestone for the $225 million film and the new DC Studios, is much more likely to be earned thanks to this exceptional performance. Thanks to its positive reviews and good audience ratings, the film is positioned for profitability and is a crucial part of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s ambitious 10-year plan to revive the DC cinematic brand.
New Releases Don’t Start:
The new candidates found it difficult to make an impression, while “Superman” took off.New Releases Fail to Launch:
- “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and set 27 years after the 1997 original, opened with a modest $13 million in North America. While this is a fair result for its reported $18 million budget, it marks a disappointing debut for a well-known horror franchise.
- The animated “Smurfs” reboot, featuring Rihanna as the voice of Smurfette, debuted in fourth place with a meager $11 million. Critics were largely unimpressed, with the film garnering a low 21% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Older Hits Show Resilience:
“Superman” isn’t the only film showing legs at the box office.
- Universal Pictures’ “Jurassic World: Rebirth” landed in second place this weekend, adding $23.4 million in its third week of release.3 The seventh installment in the dinosaur franchise has accumulated $648 million worldwide.
- Apple Studios and Warner Bros.’ “F1: The Movie,” the Brad Pitt racing drama, also continued its strong run, especially internationally.4 In its fourth weekend, the film’s global total stands at an impressive $460.8 million.
The next major test for “Superman” looms next weekend with the highly anticipated release of Disney’s Marvel film, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (scheduled for July 25).5