It’s not a bird or a plane — it’s the latest “Superman” movie soaring towards the top of the box office.
Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Superman” grossed an estimated $56.5 million domestically on Friday, on top of $22.5 million in Thursday previews. The 1938 comic book character, which began as a film series in 1978, is expected to gross nearly $130 million domestically for the weekend.
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“Superman has been one of the most challenging movies to project,” said Shawn Robbins, director of analytics at Fandango and founder and owner of Box Office Theory, citing less recent interest in comic book films and DC Studios’ struggles compared to Marvel’s success. It’s part of the reason that James Gunn, co-CEO of DC Studios and director of “Superman,” unveiled new plans for the film franchise in 2023.
“This is a Superman movie for the modern era, and it also represents an opportunity for a reboot of sorts for DC Comics,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.