Superman Box Office Success Over Man of Steel Continues With This New Record

Superman has officially surpassed Man of Steel at the domestic box office, making it the highest-grossing solo Superman film in U.S. history. Directed by James Gunn, the 2025 reboot reached this milestone just 18 days after its release, signaling a promising beginning for the newly launched DC Universe. The film’s performance highlights renewed interest in the iconic hero’s latest cinematic chapter.

Superman claims the throne by beating Man of Steel’s domestic box office

James Gunn’s Superman has surpassed Man of Steel at the domestic box office, becoming the highest-grossing solo Superman movie in U.S. history. According to Box Office Mojo, Superman earned $292.4 million domestically as of July 30, overtaking the $291 million total of the 2013 Man of Steel.

The milestone comes just 18 days after the film’s release on July 11, 2025. The new DCU installment stars David Corenswet and marks the official launch of the DC Universe reboot under DC Studios. It has also outperformed the domestic totals of all previous Superman titles, including Christopher Reeve’s films and Superman Returns (2006), which grossed $200 million in the U.S.

Despite its domestic success, Superman faces challenges on the international front. It has earned $214.1 million overseas so far, bringing its worldwide total to $506.5 million. By comparison, Man of Steel grossed $379.1 million internationally, with a worldwide total of $670.1 million. This makes it unlikely that Superman will surpass Man of Steel globally, even before adjusting for inflation.

Director James Gunn addressed the lower international turnout, stating, “It also affects things that we have a certain amount of anti-American sentiment around the world right now. It isn’t really helping us” (via Deadline). He also acknowledged that Superman is not considered a “known commodity” in some regions.

Superman’s domestic revenue accounts for 57.7% of its total gross, a higher ratio than Man of Steel, whose international revenue made up 56.6% of its global earnings. Unless overseas interest rises significantly, Superman may remain behind in total worldwide earnings.

As of July 30, 2025, Superman holds an 83% critics score and a 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to Man of Steel‘s 57% and 75% respectively.

Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on SuperHeroHype.

Source: Comingsoon.net