Supergirl opens to $18 million, disappoints at the box office

Supergirl opened to $18 million on Friday from 3,602 theaters, landing behind Toy Story 5 as Disney and Pixar’s sequel held first place. The DC film had already pulled in $7.8 million from Wednesday fan screenings and Thursday previews, but late-weekend forecasts put its three-day total at about $40 million, with one trade estimate closer to $50 million.

The start was soft even by the standards of modern superhero movies. James Gunn’s Superman opened to $125 million last summer and finished its run at $618 million worldwide, while Marvel’s The Marvels opened to $47 million in 2023, the lowest debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Supergirl’s Friday take showed that a famous logo still gets attention, but it does not guarantee turnout on the scale studios have been used to from their biggest comic-book brands.

That matters because the movie is not cheap. Variety put Supergirl’s budget at $170 million, and Deadline’s box-office math pegged the film’s break-even point at $315 million worldwide. The film stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, with Craig Gillespie directing and Jason Momoa and David Corenswet among the supporting cast. That combination gives Warner Bros. a recognizable IP package, but it also leaves the studio dependent on strong word of mouth and sustained attendance, not just brand awareness, to make the numbers work.

The wider marketplace has not been especially forgiving to big franchises that arrive below expectations. Toy Story 5 opened to $160 million domestically and $312 million worldwide last weekend, showing that audiences will still rally around a familiar title when the event feels big enough. Supergirl’s opening day suggests awareness is not the same as urgency, and its weekend total will tell Warner Bros. whether a woman-led superhero film can still be sold on the strength of the name alone.