The new Superman movie, directed by James Gunn, has achieved an impressive box office start, setting a record for the best opening for a solo film of the iconic superhero, surpassing the debut of ‘Man of Steel’ twelve years ago. Still, despite this remarkable initial success in various parts of the world, the film has faced a harsh reality in the Chinese market, where its performance has fallen short of expectations.
Success in the rest of the countries
In the Asian giant, ‘Superman’ barely managed to raise 6.7 million dollars during its opening weekend, placing it in a disappointing fourth place, far behind competitors like ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ and ‘F1: The Movie’. These titles, in comparison, have grossed 11.15 million and 10.5 million, respectively. The low earnings of ‘Superman’ in China are not only attributed to the growing trend of decline of Hollywood films in the region but also to a changing perception of the character among the local audience.
It is relevant to note that ‘Man of Steel’ suffered a similar setback, earning 63.44 million dollars on its opening in China, which shows a change in the reception of the character over the years. The new version of Superman may struggle to even reach 10 million at the box office before being pulled from local theaters.
Despite these failures in China, the film has performed remarkably well in other markets, hinting at a possible path to international success. The key, however, will be to observe its results in the second weekend, which will determine its future viability at the box office and its place in the competitive landscape of superhero cinema.