#boxoffice

When James Gunn launched his reimagined DC Universe earlier this year with Superman, expectations were high—but few could have predicted what the film would become: a bona fide financial juggernaut. New industry data has pulled back the curtain on the film’s true profitability, and the numbers are nothing short of staggering.

According to a new report from Forbes, Superman has already crossed the $100 million mark in pure profit for Warner Bros. and DC Studios, with projections aiming closer to $150 million by year’s end. In an era where superhero fatigue is often proclaimed as loudly as any Kryptonian battle cry, Gunn’s bright, earnest take on the Man of Steel has defied the trend and soared past every expectation.

To understand just how remarkable this success is, consider its competition. Superman didn’t just outperform the last several DC releases—it left them in the dust. The film’s box office totals landed at least 40% higher than any of the previous nine DCEU installments released across the last six years. And it didn’t stop at conquering DC’s internal legacy; it even outgrossed Marvel Studios’ recent slate, including The Fantastic Four: First Steps, a movie that had its own strong buzz behind it.

For audiences, the film’s arrival marked a turning point—a symbolic sunrise after a long stretch of uneven DC output. David Corenswet won widespread praise as the new Clark Kent, embodying a hopeful, uncomplicated heroism that many fans had been craving. The movie, the first big screen chapter of Gunn’s “Gods and Monsters” plan (which officially started with the HBO Max series Creature Commandos), ultimately pulled in more than $616 million worldwide. Its momentum continued on streaming platforms, where it performed just as powerfully, cementing its status as a modern superhero success story.

A major part of Superman’s impact can be traced back to its tonal reset. Gone were the muted palettes and brooding atmospheres of the DCEU. Instead, Gunn traded them in for vibrant colors, emotional warmth, and a sense of fun—elements that hadn’t taken center stage in DC’s films for over a decade. While some longtime fans were hesitant about the pivot, the broader movie-going audience embraced it wholeheartedly.

And the profits speak louder than any debate. Warner Bros. now has a clear signal: the brighter, more hopeful direction isn’t just creatively refreshing—it’s commercially powerful. With numbers approaching $150 million in net gains, the studio has every reason to lean into this new vision. Fans hoping for a return to the grittier aesthetic of previous films might be waiting a very long time.

The future of the DCU is already beginning to take shape. A sequel, Man of Tomorrow, is slated for July 9, 2027, with Gunn hinting that it will dive deeper into the dynamic between Superman and Lex Luthor—two of the standout performances from the first installment. And that’s just the beginning.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has openly championed the studio’s long-term ambitions, revealing that Superman is only the beginning of an ambitious 10-year roadmap. Over the next year alone, audiences will see Supergirl, Clayface, and the HBO Max series Lanterns usher in a new wave of interconnected storytelling.

Farther down the line, other major projects—Swamp Thing, a new Wonder Woman installment, and The Brave and the Bold—are in varying stages of development, signaling a DC Universe more active and coordinated than it has been in years.

For now, though, Gunn’s Superman continues to dominate the conversation. It’s a hit not just by modern superhero standards, but by old-fashioned Hollywood metrics: strong box office numbers, massive profits, and a renewed cultural enthusiasm for the Man of Steel. If this is truly the dawn of a new DC era, it’s hard to imagine a stronger or more hopeful beginning.

Superman is currently streaming on HBO Max.

It was the mashup that Hollywood hoped would match the magic of Barbenheimer: a kooky combination of gladiators and good witches. But Glicked — the name given to the late November releases of 'Gladiator II' and ‘Wicked’ — was a tale of two cities (Rome and Oz) that felt forced to sit side-by-side in cinemas.

When ‘Barbie' and ‘Oppenheimer' debuted together in July 2023, they were an unlikely yet complementary pair. Even though one was a technicoloured exploration into the world of dolls and dreamhouses and the other was an IMAX-scale atomic biopic, they became a must-do double bill. They gave audiences an excuse to dress up and make going to the movies an “event”.

Glicked on the other hand, felt like an arranged marriage, and we the viewers – the children – took sides.

The first problem was the source material. 

The musical ‘Wicked: The Untold True Story of the Witches of Oz’ debuted on Broadway in 2003, and it was an instant classic. It spawned a stunning soundtrack of award-winning hits, including “What is This Feeling?”, “The Wizard And I”, “Popular” and “Defying Gravity”. It went on to be performed right around the world, including in Europe and Australia and continues to tour to this day.

This means that despite Jon M. Chu's movie adaptation coming 21 years after the first stage show (and 22 years once Part 2 is released in 2025), the fans hadn’t moved on or forgotten the Witches. If anything, the love and appreciation for the characters of Elphaba and Glinda (played by powerhouse performers Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in the film) have only grown over the years, picking up new devotees with every new stage outing.

Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator’ came out even earlier, in the year 2000. Although it was a big hit (winning five Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Russell Crowe, and Best Supporting Actor for Joaqiuin Phoenix), it wasn’t a movie that needed a sequel, and frankly, the ending didn’t really lend itself to one.

Now, 24 years on, spiritual successor ‘Gladiator II’ is here sans most of the original cast and it feels... unnecessary. The lineup is impressive (Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn to name a few) the visuals are epic and the CGI is fun (ugly baboon, I’m looking at you!) but the story is lacking somewhat. Crowe’s Maximus Decimus Meridius is mentioned and mirrored constantly, meaning that overall, the film struggles to step out of the original’s successful shadow.

The second point of difference was appeal and accessibility.

Although musicals aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, the family-friendly rating of ‘Wicked’ meant it was going to be a go-to choice for families and big groups of all ages. Fans of Erivo and Grande were also going to be keen to see their favourite singers in action, even if they weren’t familiar with the play.

'Gladiator II’, on the other hand, was hindered by its R rating. An Ancient Rome saga of bloody battles and political betrayals wasn’t going to have mass appeal, and those who were drawn to it would need to be over 17 years of age.

The third reason was marketing. 

Barbenheimer had its own memes, merchandise, costumes and a communal sense of fun, as well as triggering that all-important feeling of FOMO to drive ticket sales. Glicked didn’t generate any of that kind of buzz.

The stars of ‘Wicked’ walked yellow brick road themed red carpets in colour-coordinated pink and green, and the movie account had an unmissable social media presence through regular collaborations, sing-a-longs, fan art shares, dance tutorials and announcements. 'Gladiator II’, however, followed the more traditional path of posting trailers, set photos, and interviews.

There didn’t seem to be much effort on the part of either film’s team to create a sense of “us”, so it instead became a feeling of “this” or “that”. Not “When are you going to see Wicked AND Gladiator II?” but "Are you going to see Wicked OR Gladiator II?"

And that brings me to my fourth and final point – which is probably the most important: Barbenheimer worked because it wasn’t planned. Glicked felt like a failed attempt to manufacture lightning in a bottle. But as the myth goes, lightning never strikes twice…

The Witches of Konotop

It looks super cool.

You can check out a clip here..."Zadniprovskyi also attributes the play’s popularity to the clips that have gone viral on social media."

It is a play in Ukraine that is smashing the box office.

trolls band together iS number 1 in sweden/ denmark/norway/estonia and lithuania ..

edit

i clarify my post about brazil and argentina.. sites say there were already released but the trailer in brazil says the 19th so i dont actually know..we will see with the bo this weeknd