Peter Safran Remains Confident in DCU Strategy Despite Supergirl’s Box Office Shortfall

While Supergirl underperformed on its opening weekend, the DCU still has several upcoming initiatives for movie‑goers.

After the Craig Gillespie‑directed film premiered, DC Studios co‑CEO Peter Safran acknowledged that the film fell short of Warner Bros.’ box‑office expectations, given its reported $175 million budget.

“While Supergirl fell short of our box‑office targets, it represents just one element of DC Studios’ broader, long‑term strategy, and we remain confident in its overall direction,” Safran told The New York Times.

The DCU’s upcoming releases include James Watkins’ Clayface, opening in theaters on October 23, followed by James Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow, slated for July 9, 2027. The Lanterns series is also anticipated to debut on HBO in 2026.

Given the impact of the World Cup and a record‑breaking heatwave, Supergirl is projected to open to approximately $68 million worldwide, with $38 million from North America.

Although Supergirl’s domestic opening slightly exceeds the $37.6 million debut of Joker: Folie à Deux, Kara Zor‑El’s solo entry trails far behind Arthur Fleck’s $114.8 million global opening for the 2024 Todd Phillips sequel.

Despite Supergirl’s underwhelming performance, the 2025 Superman sequel posted the highest opening weekend ever for a superhero film in IMAX, with 51 % of its revenue — $7.4 million — derived from IMAX and premium large formats.

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