Supergirl Crashes at the Box Office — But Superman's Sequel 'Man of Tomorrow' Could Save the DCU

The DC Universe just got a reality check — and it came wearing a red cape.

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, the highly anticipated follow-up to James Gunn and Peter Safran's blockbuster Superman (2025), landed in theaters last weekend with all the fanfare of a Kryptonian landing. But the numbers told a different story. The Milly Alcock-led film pulled in just $38 million domestically during its opening weekend, with a worldwide haul of roughly $68 million. Given its production budget of $170–186 million (not counting marketing), Supergirl is already facing an uphill battle to break even.

What Went Wrong for Supergirl?

Part of the problem was the critical reception. Supergirl currently sits at a disappointing 56% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, though audiences were more forgiving at 76% on the Popcornmeter. Reviews pointed to a muddled tone and uneven pacing — a stark contrast to the crowd-pleasing energy that David Corenswet brought to Superman just a year ago, which soared past $1 billion globally.

For context, Superman hit that billion-dollar milestone in roughly a third of the time it took Supergirl to scrape together its current total. That gap speaks volumes about audience appetite for the Man of Steel versus his cousin.

Enter 'Man of Tomorrow' — The DCU's Big Bet

But there's a silver lining for DC fans. While Supergirl stumbles, all eyes are now on Man of Tomorrow, the Superman sequel directed by James Gunn himself, currently scheduled for July 9, 2027.

Jennifer Holland — star of HBO's Peacemaker and Gunn's wife — recently hyped the film at a Supergirl screening, telling GamesRadar+: "I have seen an enormous portion of the movie, and I am so excited for Man of Tomorrow. It might be James's best... my favorite movie of James, and I haven't even seen the whole thing yet. It feels like a step up in a lot of ways."

That's a bold claim considering Gunn's track record with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, The Suicide Squad, and the first season of Peacemaker on HBO Max.

The DCU Scorecard: Hits and Misses

The DCU under Gunn and Safran has been a mixed bag so far:

• Superman (2025) — David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. A massive hit. $1B+ worldwide.
• Peacemaker Season 2 — John Cena's scene-stealing anti-hero returned to HBO. Strong reviews and viewership.
• Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (2026) — Milly Alcock. Box office disappointment. Mixed reviews.
• Man of Tomorrow (2027) — David Corenswet returns. Filming in progress. The DCU's next make-or-break moment.

What This Means for the DCU

One box office flop doesn't sink a franchise — The Suicide Squad (2021) underperformed theatrically and still spawned Peacemaker. But Supergirl's crash is a reminder that audiences won't automatically show up for every comic-book property, even within a beloved universe.

The good news? Gunn seems to know exactly where the heart of the DCU lies. It's not in expanding to every corner of Krypton — it's in the characters people actually care about. And if Man of Tomorrow delivers the way Holland is promising, the DCU's Man of Steel might just carry the entire franchise back on his shoulders.

Man of Tomorrow is currently in production and set to fly into theaters on July 9, 2027. Stay tuned to HitLava for more DCU updates.