'Superman' becomes first DC film to cross $300 million since 'The Batman'

Batman, of course, has always been nearly indestructible at the box office. Only 1997’s Batman and Robin can qualify as a bomb. But in the 21st century, outside of Batman, it’s been a roller coaster of success and failure for DC. Superman Returns and Man of Steel did ok, but neither was critically beloved or a commercial megahit. Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Joker were legit blockbusters, but movies like Justice League were debacles. And once DC Studios announced that they were wiping the slate clean of the old DCEU continuity? The audience’s interest in the remaining DC films crashed. The Flash, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and even the delightful Blue Beetle seriously underperformed, or flat-out bombed.

We should note, Superman is indeed struggling at the box office overseas. But has more to do with the Asian market no longer being as interested in Western films as much as before. This also applies to Marvel Studios. The halcyon days of the 2010s, when a blockbuster made half its money from the foreign box office, seem to be over. The days of multiple movies making over a billion globally may be a thing of the past, relegated to a pre-pandemic era. In any event, Superman is now a legit success, so a sequel is all but assured. Which makes those of us who loved Gunn’s take on the Last Son of Krypton very pleased indeed.