‘Superman’ shows strong power in second weekend with $57.3 million earnings

James Gunn’s “Superman” continued its strong performance in its second weekend at North American theaters, earning $57.3 million and holding onto the top spot at the box office, according to studio estimates released Sunday.

None of the new releases this week — including “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” “Smurfs,” and “Eddington” — came close to matching the success of Warner Bros. and DC Studios’ superhero film. “Superman” saw a typical 54% drop from its opening weekend, which is standard for major summer releases.

In just two weeks, “Superman” has grossed $406.8 million worldwide, marking a solid start for DC Studios as it looks to revitalize its film division. The real challenge will come next weekend when Disney releases Marvel’s highly anticipated “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.”

With positive audience reactions and favorable reviews, the $225 million-budgeted “Superman” is on track to turn a profit soon. The film plays a critical role in Warner Bros. and DC Studios’ 10-year strategy to rebuild their comic book movie lineup. Co-heads Gunn and Peter Safra are leading the charge, with “Supergirl” and “Clayface” slated for release in 2026.

“Superman” isn’t alone in theaters this weekend. Universal Pictures’ “Jurassic World: Rebirth,” starring Scarlett Johansson, ranked second with $23.4 million in its third week. The seventh installment in the Jurassic series has earned $648 million globally so far and remains strong despite the competition.

Apple Studios and Warner Bros.’ “F1: The Movie,” starring Brad Pitt, also continued to perform well internationally. In its fourth weekend, the racing drama’s domestic earnings dipped just 26%, bringing in $9.6 million in North America and $29.5 million overseas, pushing its global total to $460.8 million.

However, two major new releases struggled at the box office. Sony Pictures’ “I Know What You Did Last Summer” opened with $13 million. While the figure aligns with its modest $18 million budget, it fell short of expectations for this well-known horror franchise reboot set 27 years after the original 1997 film. Reviews were mixed to negative, holding a 38% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences gave it a lukewarm “C+” CinemaScore.

Paramount Pictures’ “Smurfs” reboot debuted in fourth place with $11 million. Despite featuring Rihanna as the voice of Smurfette, the film received poor reviews (21% on Rotten Tomatoes). Audience scores were better, with a “B+” on CinemaScore. The $58 million production will rely heavily on international markets, where it earned $22.6 million across 56 countries.

Ari Aster’s Western drama “Eddington,” released by A24, opened with $4.2 million across 2,111 screens. Since its Cannes Film Festival premiere, the film has sparked divided opinions. Starring Joaquin Phoenix as a conservative sheriff facing off against a liberal mayor played by Pedro Pascal, “Eddington” follows Aster’s track record of polarizing movies. His previous film, “Beau Is Afraid,” was a commercial disappointment, earning just $12.4 million worldwide against a $35 million budget. “Eddington” cost about $25 million to produce and received a “C+” CinemaScore, continuing the trend of mixed audience responses.

Despite some underwhelming individual film performances, Hollywood is enjoying a strong summer overall. Data from Comscore shows the 2025 summer box office is up nearly 16% compared to the same period last year, with year-to-date sales 15% higher than in 2024. Domestic summer ticket sales have totaled about $2.6 billion so far.

Top 10 Domestic Box Office (Estimated Friday–Sunday Earnings):