SUPERGIRL Is on Track to End Its Entire Box Office Run Below SUPERMAN's Opening Weekend
When Supergirl arrived in theaters, DC Studios was hoping audiences would embrace a new take on Kara Zor-El after the success of Superman. Instead, the movie has struggled to find its footing at the box office, and it's now on the verge of setting a record no comic book movie wants to claim.
As Supergirl heads into its fourth weekend, it's expected to pull in just $1.4 million domestically, marking a steep 62% drop from its third weekend. That total gives the film the lowest fourth-weekend domestic haul of any movie from either the DCEU or the new DCU.
The previous record belonged to Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which earned $1.6 million during its fourth weekend back in 2023.
The outlook doesn't get much better from there. After wrapping up its third week with $119.3 million worldwide, Supergirl now looks likely to finish its entire theatrical run with less than $125 million globally.
That's especially notable because the movie is scheduled to arrive on Digital platforms on July 28, bringing its theatrical run to an early close.
To put that into perspective, Superman opened to $125 million during its debut weekend last July before going on to earn $618 million worldwide. The film may have climbed even higher if it hadn't landed on Digital earlier than expected.
DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn previously explained that the release timing was "very complicated," saying it ultimately came down to wanting audiences to catch Superman before watching Peacemaker Season 2 on HBO Max.
Financially, Supergirl faces an even tougher reality. Reports have placed the movie's break-even point somewhere between $300 million and $375 million worldwide. If those estimates are accurate, the film is on pace to lose more than $125 million, and possibly much more, once everything is accounted for.
The competition certainly didn't help. Toy Story 5 became a major obstacle, while Minions & Monsters also pulled family audiences away. Even so, Warner Bros. never seemed to adjust its strategy.
Rather than positioning Supergirl as an alternative to those movies or to The Odyssey, the film's social media campaign practically disappeared. Its official accounts haven't shared any meaningful promotional content since June 29, when they posted a video spotlighting the movie's Funko Pop figures.
Despite the disappointing numbers, DC Studios isn't sounding the alarm… at least externally. DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran recently addressed the film's performance, saying:
"While Supergirl didn’t meet our box office expectations, it’s just one component of a broader, long-term strategy at DC Studios that we remain confident in."
I’m sure things are a bit more intense behind-the-scenes. It always is! Fortunately for fans of Kara Zor-El, this doesn't appear to be the end of her story.
Supergirl is already lined up for a major role in Man of Tomorrow, and there have also been strong indications that another project is waiting after that. Gunn has even hinted that she could co-star in the upcoming Wonder Woman reboot.
One thing most fans seem to agree on is that Milly Alcock wasn't the problem. Her performance as Kara Zor-El received widespread praise, and there's every reason to believe future appearances in the DCU could give audiences a chance to connect with the character in a much bigger way.
The story and script for Supergirl just didn’t cut it. It was an all-around uninspired that could’ve been so much better. The creative team really dropped the ball on this one.
Whether Supergirl eventually finds a second life on Digital or streaming remains to be seen, but its theatrical run is ending on a disappointing note. For a movie that was supposed to help build momentum for the new DC Universe, finishing below Superman's opening weekend is a result few expected.
Supergirl is now playing in theaters and arrives on Digital platforms on July 28.