‘Superman’ Flies to Huge $22.5 Million in Previews, Biggest of 2025 So Far

 It is avian! It is a plane! Superman has returned to theaters!

Under the direction of James Gunn and Peter Safran, The Man of Steel is making a triumphant return to theaters and launching a revitalized DC Universe. With box office previews of $22.5 million, the most recent version of "Superman," starring David Corenswet, has generated the most money of the year thus far. It is the greatest gross of Gunn's career, topping the $17.5 million for "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," and it surpasses the preview grosses for this year's "Lilo & Stitch" ($14.5 million).

Estimates vary, but the DC Studios movie is predicted to debut this weekend with between $120 million and $130 million domestically. Thanks to favorable reviews, some assessments are placing it even higher at more than $140 million, while Warner Bros. and several tracking agencies are projecting a more cautious $100 million to $110 million. Additionally, "Superman" is anticipated to earn at least $100 million abroad, easily surpassing $200 million for its world premiere. Given that "Superman" has a $225 million budget, that is encouraging for the movie and possibly for the future of Gunn and Safran's DC Universe. After a run of recent failures with films like "The Flash," "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," "Shazam: Fury of the Gods," and "Blue Beetle," this is a huge comeback for DC films.

Zack Snyder's 2013 film "Man of Steel," which starred Henry Cavill and garnered $21 million in previews before debuting at $116 million, was Superman's final solo appearance. Before its $166 million premiere, the 2016 sequel, "Superman v. Batman: Dawn of Justice," received $27.7 million in previews. Corenswet plays a more animated, lighthearted version of the Man of Steel in this remake, battling Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) while co-reporting for the Daily Planet with Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan). Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan), and Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) are also members of the cast.

Last week's box office winner, Universal's "Jurassic World Rebirth," which hopes to earn $35 million to $45 million in its second weekend—a 50% to 60% increase from its debut—will be easily defeated by "Superman."