I’m hearing ticket sales for Craig Gillespie’s “Supergirl” have been fairly slow so far today, which is not a good sign for DC Studios’ James Gunn and Peter Safran, especially as “Supergirl” arrives a year after “Superman” kicked off their DCU, pulling in $624M worldwide.
We’re now seeing reporting that “Supergirl” actually has a budget of $175M, much higher than the $100M figure that had been circulating for months. If we go by the 2.5x rule, “Supergirl” would need to earn $430M+ worldwide to break even.
More recently, Box Office Theory predicted a domestic debut between $47M and $65M, placing it between low-end “The Marvels” territory and “Black Adam,” which opened to $67M domestically, though today’s presales suggest weaker enthusiasm.
“Supergirl,” opening June 26, 2026, is positioned between several major family blockbusters, including “Toy Story 5,” “Minions & Monsters,” and Disney’s live-action “Moana.”
However, the main concern is that the marketing has not generated much excitement, with many audiences reportedly not invested in the character, meaning strong reviews may need to drive turnout.
“Supergirl” has had an interesting production production, including at least ten test screenings, multiple edits, and three different endings, along with changes to Superman’s role and three different composers. Early reactions are mixed: Milly Alcock is widely praised, while the action and villain Krem receive criticism, though Jason Momoa’s Lobo cameo tested well. The film is described as a darker, character-driven “space western” with a soundtrack vibe similar to “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
Directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Ana Nogueira, the film is another key test for DC Studios’ theatrical strategy, sitting between “Superman: Man of Tomorrow” and the standalone “Clayface,” which reportedly cost $40M.