Superman Vs Iron Man ( Photo Credit – Instagram; X )
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Superman, directed by James Gunn, has enjoyed positive reactions from audiences and critics alike, though this success appears not to have translated into auspicious box office results across global markets. While Warner Bros, Gunn, and devoted fans maintain the film will break even and recoup its investment, the reality appears increasingly clear: it might not surpass Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel after all. This disappointing trajectory raises questions about launching yet another DC universe when previous attempts have faltered. Let’s examine how Superman compares to other franchise openers!
Gunn’s Superman, currently at $409 million worldwide, appears destined to finish somewhere near the benchmark set 17 years ago by Iron Man, which kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Though the David Corenswet-led iteration might scarcely edge out the Robert Downey Jr starrer’s domestic collection of $319 million, the worldwide comparison presents a more complex scenario that won’t reach clarity for several weeks. Iron Man earned $585.8 million globally, incurring similar ordeals overseas as Superman’s.
The proximity to Iron Man’s numbers might seem encouraging on surface level, but context matters enormously. Robert Downey Jr.’s debut as Tony Stark launched in 2008 when superhero fatigue was nonexistent and audience expectations considerably lower. Superman arrives in 2025’s oversaturated marketplace, where $400-500 million hardly guarantees franchise viability or studio confidence.
It would not be conducive for Gunn’s reboot to match Snyder’s previous attempt, and doing so would be a Herculean task. Man of Steel (2013) grossed $670.1 million worldwide, a number far beyond Superman’s reach. The general rule that decently front-loaded blockbusters could triple their opening weekend by the end of theatrical runs seemingly failed when Superman didn’t double by its second weekend.
MAN OF STEEL was released 12 years ago this week. A reboot of the DC cinematic universe and Henry Cavill’s first appearance as Superman, the making of story is its own reward…
— All The Right Movies (@ATRightMovies) June 9, 2025
While even its opening worldwide haul of $220 million, when tripled, wouldn’t reach Man of Steel’s total, MCU’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps looms as another complication. Current numbers suggest weakness rather than strength.
For Gunn enthusiasts to argue this Superman has already beaten Man of Steel, purely based on positive word-of-mouth, lacks logical foundation. If one DC universe failed a decade ago and another has already fallen behind comparable launches, perhaps serious creative and strategic revisions are warranted going forward.
Outpacing Batman’s Decades-Old Incarnations, Struggling Against Battinson
Superman does manage victories against earlier Batman films that kicked off franchises, though those preceded the modern blockbuster era entirely. 1989’s Batman ranked among the highest-grossing films of its time with $411 million worldwide, while Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins arrived when superhero movies were performing poorly at the box office, earning $375 million globally.
Films like The Punisher ($54 million), Hulk ($245 million), Daredevil ($179 million), and even the X-Men franchise were failing throughout the 2000s, with only Spider-Man breaking through until Iron Man defied expectations. For Superman supporters to presume that successive Gunn entries could triple their grosses and approach $1-1.5 billion territory, like later Dark Knight and Avengers films achieved, represents shortsighted thinking and confirmation bias.
Then there’s Robert Pattinson’s The Batman, which, amid DCEU brand collapse and apparent Batman fatigue, nevertheless launched Matt Reeves’ universe on a high note, grossing $772 million worldwide. This recent success makes Superman’s performance appear even more concerning, especially considering Superman traditionally commands broader global appeal than the Dark Knight.
Worldwide Box Office of Superhero Franchise Starters:
