The DCU’s New Superman Movie Has A $872 Million Challenge To Beat

The DCU reboot is set to launch with 2025’s Superman, and the debut movie has a $872 challenge to clear. Following a string of financial bombs, the DCU is set to reinvigorate DC’s cinematic efforts with a new slate of interconnected movies set to look markedly different from the cinematic universe that began with 2013’s Man of Steel. Superman will be the first to kick things off, with David Corenswet taking on the titular mantle as Henry Cavill’s replacement in James Gunn’s newly envisaged DC cinematic universe.

The DCEU featured the Man of Steel in one solo movie, with his second slated outing being ousted by the announcement of the DCU reboot. Aside from Man of Steel, Cavill’s Superman appeared in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and 2017’s Justice League, where he played major roles. Though two out of his three major appearances were in movies that failed to impress critics, Cavill still holds the accolade of starring in Superman’s highest-grossing movie to date.

DC’s Most Successful Superman Movie So Far Is Batman V Superman

Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice Earned $872 Globally

Despite mediocre reviews, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is the DCEU’s second-highest-grossing movie, with its $872 million gross beaten only by Aquaman‘s $1.1 billion. This set the bar for financial expectations in the DCEU that most would fail to clear before 2023 saw the DCEU languishing in its final throes after the DCU was announced in late 2022. With Superman set to reinvent the Man of Steel, the DCU will no doubt be gunning for a global box office that establishes David Corenswet as the new definitive take on the titular hero.

In that regard, the DCU faces another significant challenge. News that Henry Cavill would not be reprising his role in the reinvented cinematic universe was met with disappointment by fans, given that Henry Cavill’s portrayal is largely seen as a major positive in otherwise controversial movies. Yet with Superman‘s narrative hinging on the fact that the titular hero is distinctly fresh-faced, re-casting the 40-year-old Cavill was a sadly necessary measure. Besides, the DCU is under additional pressure to establish itself as separate from its predecessor, which an all-new cast helps to achieve.

Why DCU’s Superman Ideally Needs To Beat Batman V Superman’s Box Office

Unlike the MCU, which arguably established the modern concept of a cinematic universe, the DCU faces stiff competition, including from its predecessor. Enthusiasm surrounding comic book movies and shared universes is arguably waning in the wake of overzealous production schedules stoking superhero fatigue, and the promise of an all-new cinematic universe for casual audiences to keep abreast of is not as riveting a prospect as it was in the 2010s. With that in mind, a strong box office performance from Superman will be a great start for the DCU to justify its existence.

Excitement for Superman is high, but it will need to vindicate that enthusiasm to set the rest of the DCU in good stead. Raking in $900 million is no mean feat, with ensemble movies like Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: No Way Home proving that large casts are a boon. The fact that Superman promises to star a slew of other heroes not yet depicted in live-action cinema is a positive sign in this regard. Still, Aquaman proved in 2018 that a solo debut is more than capable of breaking that threshold.