James Gunn’s Superman, hitting theaters on July 11, 2025, is shaping up to be a massive deal, with early buzz suggesting it could rake in $155 million to $175 million at the box office in its opening weekend. That’s big enough to top Batman v Superman’s $166 million debut, the biggest for any DC movie so far. If it lands those numbers, this could be the biggest Superman opening ever, giving the rebooted DC Universe a serious shot in the arm under Gunn and his co-CEO Peter Safran.
Starring David Corenswet as a young Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as a scheming Lex Luthor, Superman isn’t another origin story. Instead, it dives into Clark’s life as a Daily Planet reporter, juggling his Kryptonian roots with his human heart in a world full of heroes like Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion). The teaser trailer dropped jaws, pulling in over 250 million views in just 24 hours—right up there with Spider-Man: No Way Home and Avengers: Endgame. Fans on X are losing it, with one calling it a lock for $800 million worldwide and another betting on a $195 million opening.
Analysts are pumped, pegging the film for $350 million domestically and $750 million to $920 million globally, with some whispering it could even hit a billion if word-of-mouth is as good as the hype. Superman’s a household name, and Gunn’s cred from Guardians of the Galaxy has folks believing he’ll nail the mix of action, laughs, and feels. The marketing’s leaning hard into hope and heart, and it’s clicking—X posts are buzzing with excitement. But July’s a tough month, with Jurassic World: Rebirth (July 2) and The Fantastic Four: First Steps (July 25) vying for attention. Plus, superhero fatigue could creep in after duds like The Flash ($271 million worldwide).
The DCEU’s had its struggles—Man of Steel pulled $670 million globally ($901 million adjusted), but recent flops like Shazam: Fury of the Gods barely hit $25 million opening. Gunn’s Superman needs to flip that script to kick off the DCU’s big 10-year plan. The trailer’s outpacing The Batman’s view counts, and with nearly a million YouTube likes, the vibe’s strong. Still, some X skeptics aren’t sold, saying trailer hype doesn’t equal ticket sales and predicting a “safer” $700 million global haul if reviews or competition trip it up.
With a reported $363 million budget (though Gunn’s pushed back on that number), the movie needs at least $800 million to break even at the box office. But between Superman’s iconic pull, a killer cast, and Gunn’s knack for making underdogs shine, it’s got a real shot to soar past Man of Steel and maybe even steal the summer crown from Jurassic World: Rebirth. Whether it hits a billion or just lands as a solid win, Superman is poised to be a game-changer for DC.