Many DC fans are worried about Superman 2025 international box office performance, which has been lower than expected. At first glance, the movie’s overall numbers look impressive, with the Superman reboot having crossed the $400 million mark in just two weeks since its July 11 opening in the US. However, the vast majority of that has come domestically at $235 million, compared to its international numbers at $171 million. Most high-profile superhero blockbusters aim for box office figures that are evenly split between local and overseas sales, revealing that the film is having trouble in international waters. This is not a good sign when it comes to the movie’s long-term performance as it seeks to soar above DC’s own expectations.
Why box office numbers for Superman 2025 are underperforming overseas
According to director James Gunn, the international box office performance for Superman 2025 has been low because he’s not as known as other superheroes in other countries like Batman is and due to “a certain amount of anti-American sentiment around the world right now.”
This statement comes from an interview with Rolling Stone, which asked Gunn why superhero movies like Superman 2025 was “not connecting the same way in international markets that they are domestically.” The director admits that the film is “definitely performing better domestically” and that “Superman is not a known commodity in some places,” but still believes that its performance in Brazil and the United Kingdom have been solid.
Still, a report this week from Variety describes the film’s turnout at the international box office to be “softer than expected.” Based on Superman’s opening weekend sales, box office analyst Jeff Bock of Exhibitor Relations said in Variety that “domestically, Superman stuck the landing, but international numbers are disappointing…Obviously, the following weeks will tell the true box office tale, but this has to be viewed as a slightly underwhelming start for DC and WB.”
An analysis from The Wrap generally agrees with Gunn’s overall assessment, stating that Superman doesn’t have the same draw as Batman internationally due to Nolan’s successful Dark Knight trilogy. It also believes that “there have been some arguments that the decline of the U.S.’s image under Donald Trump is impacting a hero that for decades was associated with ‘Truth, Justice and the American Way’.” According to a poll conducted by Pew Research Center, views on the United States by other countries — particularly Mexico, Canada, Spain, Japan, Australia, and France — have become generally more negative in 2025 compared to 2024. However, how much these less favorable opinions have impacted the success of American superhero films is difficult to measure.
For a point of comparison to other superhero films released in 2025, Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World has earned $200 million domestically (48%) and $214 million internationally (51.7%). Thunderbolts* has done similarly well, getting $189 million domestically (49.7%) and $192 million internationally (50.3%). Deadpool & Wolverine, one of the most successful movies in 2024, made $636 million domestically (47.6%) and $701 million internationally (52.4%). Meanwhile, Superman’s two-week results saw its international numbers only contribute 42.2% of its overall total.
Another possible factor is “superhero fatigue,” a term describing the audience’s lack of interest in superhero movies due to oversaturation and a lack of quality. Actor Paul Dano in 2021’s The Batman has described the phenomenon as Hollywood pushing out “content,” prioritizing quantity over quality. More than several Marvel movies over the last five years have required that viewers watch past films and various TV shows to understand what’s going on.
DC has contributed to superhero fatigue too with a slew of box office flops in recent years, like Joker: Folie à Deux, Shazam Fury of the Gods, and The Flash. While Superman is a major reboot for the DCU, the impact those movies have had on the DC brand and in interest for superhero movies overall cannot be easily swept under the rug.
