The recently released Supergirl film has experienced a disappointing opening weekend at the box office, grossing an estimated $38 million domestically. This figure places its debut performance on par with that of Joker: Folie à Deux and notably underperforms against other major releases of the year.
Internationally, the film fared little better, bringing in an estimated $68 million worldwide for its opening weekend. This performance trails behind other films released this year, including Michael and The Devil Wears Prada 2. The underperformance is a significant concern for James Gunn's developing DC Universe, which had hoped for a stronger start with its second installment.
Toy Story 5 continued its dominant run at the box office, topping the charts with $70 million in its latest weekend, despite increased competition. Other films in the top ten domestic box office rankings for the past weekend include Obsession at $9.8 million, Jackass: Best and Last at $8.4 million, Disclosure Day at $8.1 million, Backrooms at $4.3 million, Scary Movie at $3 million, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War — The Calamity at $3 million, Masters of the Universe at $2.2 million, and Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu at $1.6 million.
Supergirl's box office struggles highlight a broader trend in the film industry, suggesting that superhero movies are no longer guaranteed box office hits. Critical reception also appears to have impacted the film's performance. Polygon's review noted that while Gunn's Superman offered a "high bar for weirdness and unexpected ways of reimagining familiar characters," Supergirl "strolls under that bar without ever coming close to touching it."
While Supergirl is expected to remain in theaters for some time, its current box office trajectory suggests that a release on streaming platforms like HBO Max may occur sooner rather than later.