As Supergirl hits theaters, James Gunn is counting on it to continue the DC Universe's winning ways and deliver another box office success. The 2026 female-led superhero movie starring Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El a.ka. Supergirl will have every opportunity to turn a profit after Warner Bros. and DC Studios made it a primetime summer blockbuster.
The DCU got off to a strong start in 2025 when Superman hit theaters. The first movie in the rebooted cinematic universe made $618 million worldwide after costing $225 million to produce and another $125 million to market. The result was Superman reportedly turning a $100 million profit for the studios, giving it a clear financial win on top of a well-received critical hit (83% on Rotten Tomatoes).
Spending big on a Superman reboot made sense, but Supergirl is in a different league from her cousin. She's a lesser-known hero in the mainstream and a greater box office risk; the only other live-action Supergirl movie is a 1984 bomb. And even though Alcock's version had a cameo in Superman, there has never been an expectation for the DCU's second movie to outperform its first.
Before he was Clark Kent, Superman was born Kal-El on a distant planet doomed to destruction. His parents Jor-El and Lara placed him in a rocket ship as an infant, sending him across the cosmos to Earth. What is the name of Superman’s home planet?
✓ Correct! Krypton was a scientifically advanced planet that exploded due to its unstable core. Jor-El, Superman’s father, was the only scientist who foresaw the catastrophe and managed to save his son by launching him toward Earth in a small spacecraft.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Krypton. Thanagar is Hawkman’s homeworld, Apokolips is Darkseid’s domain, and Oa is the headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps. Krypton’s destruction is the defining event of Superman’s origin story.
02
Superman’s greatest love is a fearless, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who works alongside Clark Kent at the Daily Planet. She’s known for her relentless pursuit of the truth and for being one of the few people who sees both the hero and the man. Who is she?
✓ Correct! Lois Lane has been Superman’s primary love interest since her debut in Action Comics #1 in 1938. A brilliant investigative reporter, she’s as iconic as Superman himself — tough, smart, and unafraid to chase the biggest stories in Metropolis.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lois Lane. Diana Prince is Wonder Woman, Lana Lang is Clark’s high school sweetheart from Smallville, and Cat Grant is a gossip columnist at the Daily Planet. Lois Lane is Superman’s iconic partner.
03
Despite being nearly invulnerable under Earth’s yellow sun, Superman has one famous weakness — a radioactive mineral from the remnants of his destroyed homeworld. Exposure to it drains his powers and can even kill him. What is this substance called?
✓ Correct! Kryptonite is the irradiated remnants of planet Krypton. Green Kryptonite is the most common and deadly variety, but there are many other types — Red Kryptonite causes unpredictable behavior, Gold Kryptonite can permanently strip his powers, and Blue Kryptonite affects Bizarro.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Kryptonite. Vibranium is from Marvel’s Black Panther universe, Nth Metal is tied to Hawkman, and Red Sun Ore isn’t a real DC substance. Kryptonite is the iconic green-glowing mineral that is Superman’s ultimate weakness.
04
In 1978, a then-unknown actor donned the cape and made the world believe a man could fly. His portrayal of Superman became the gold standard for superhero films and he starred in four Superman movies. Who is this legendary actor?
✓ Correct! Christopher Reeve’s portrayal in Superman: The Movie (1978) is widely regarded as the definitive live-action Superman. His performance perfectly balanced the heroic confidence of Superman with the endearing clumsiness of Clark Kent, setting the template every Superman actor has followed since.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Christopher Reeve. Henry Cavill played Superman in the DCEU starting with Man of Steel (2013), Brandon Routh starred in Superman Returns (2006), and Tom Welling played young Clark in TV’s Smallville. Reeve was the original big-screen Superman.
05
Superman’s greatest enemy isn’t a superpowered alien — he’s a brilliant, ruthless human billionaire who believes Superman is a threat to humanity’s potential. This bald-headed genius has been Superman’s archenemy for over 80 years. Who is he?
✓ Correct! Lex Luthor is the ultimate foil to Superman — where Superman represents hope and selflessness, Luthor represents ambition and ego. Despite having no superpowers, his genius-level intellect and vast resources make him Superman’s most persistent and dangerous adversary.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lex Luthor. Brainiac is an alien android who collects cities, Darkseid is the god-like ruler of Apokolips, and Doomsday is the monster who famously killed Superman. But Lex Luthor is the definitive archenemy — Superman’s dark mirror.
06
After crash-landing on Earth as a baby, Kal-El was found and adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, a kind farming couple. They raised him with strong moral values in a small rural town. Where did Clark Kent grow up?
✓ Correct! Smallville, Kansas is the quintessential American small town where Jonathan and Martha Kent raised Clark with heartland values of honesty, compassion, and humility. It’s the foundation of who Superman is — not the powers from Krypton, but the character instilled by his Kansas parents.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Smallville, Kansas. Gotham is Batman’s city, Metropolis is where Clark moves as an adult to work at the Daily Planet, and Coast City is Green Lantern’s home. Smallville is where the Kents raised Clark on their farm.
07
As Clark Kent, Superman disguises himself as a mild-mannered reporter working at Metropolis’s most famous newspaper, alongside Lois Lane and photographer Jimmy Olsen. Their editor-in-chief Perry White runs the newsroom. What is the name of this newspaper?
✓ Correct! The Daily Planet, with its iconic globe on the rooftop, is one of the most recognizable fictional newspapers in pop culture. Working there gives Clark Kent both a cover identity and a way to stay informed about threats to the city and the world.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is the Daily Planet. The Daily Bugle is Spider-Man’s Marvel universe newspaper, the Metropolis Star and Gotham Gazette are lesser DC publications. The Daily Planet — with its spinning globe — is Superman’s journalistic home.
08
This Kryptonian military commander was banished to the Phantom Zone for treason before Krypton’s destruction. He escaped and came to Earth seeking vengeance, famously demanding that others “Kneel before” him. His iconic portrayal by Terence Stamp cemented him in pop culture. Who is this villain?
✓ Correct! General Zod is one of Superman’s most terrifying foes because he has all of Superman’s powers but none of his morality. Terence Stamp’s portrayal in Superman II (1980) made “Kneel before Zod” one of the most quoted villain lines in film history. Michael Shannon later reimagined the role in Man of Steel (2013).
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is General Zod. Bizarro is a flawed clone of Superman, Parasite drains powers through touch, and Metallo is a cyborg with a Kryptonite heart. General Zod is the Kryptonian military leader whose cry of “Kneel before Zod!” echoes through decades of Superman stories.
Mission Complete Your Kryptonian Record
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Are you the Man of Steel — or still stuck in a phone booth?
That is not necessary for it to be a hit, and DC and WB certainly want Supergirl to be a success. Based on its budget, projected breakeven point, and box office tracking, that is not a guarantee.
How Much Supergirl Cost To Make And How Much It Needs To Make
Milly Alcock As Supergirl Driving Her Spaceship With Krypto In Her Lap In Supergirl
Directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Ana Nogueira, Supergirl reportedly carries a $170 million budget, before considering any marketing costs. Most movies have ad campaigns of a similar size to their costs. For Supergirl, a marketing spend near Superman's $125 million is plausible. That would give WB and DC a total cost of about $295 million.
Traditionally, there is a rule in Hollywood that a movie needs to make 2.5x its budget at the box office to be considered a success, without factoring in merchandise or any other additional revenue streams. With the $170 million net budget in mind, $425 million is the target for Supergirl's box office. Studios and theaters split ticket sales, which is why it takes more than a movie earning back its budget to become profitable.
It is worth noting that the profitability line may be significantly lower. A few weeks ago, Deadline reported that Supergirl has a break-even point of $315 million based on a $175 million budget. The exact path for the DCU's sophomore outing to become a success after making 1.8x its cost is unclear, as this report defies conventional box office rules. Perhaps that is why Deadline has left the breakeven point out of future articles.
This leaves Supergirl with two very different figures to hit to be seen as a success. $425 million should be the goal based on how most other movies are judged. The $315 million figure would be much more attainable, which is better for DC considering Supergirl's box office tracking.
Milly Alcock walking inside a aircraft as Kara in Supergirlvia MovieStillsDB
Final predictions for Supergirl's opening weekend surfaced on June 24, and the figures are lower than previous estimates. The movie is debuting in 3,600 theaters domestically and has a projected opening range of $47 million to $50 million (per Variety). It was previously tracking to open north of $55 million as of a few weeks ago. The question is whether the projections are going to be on target or a bit high.
The new DC movie has been met with a very mixed response. Supergirl's Rotten Tomatoes score is only 58%, which is miles better than 1984's 18% debacle, but significantly below the wave of positive Superman rode to a $125 million opening last year. The mixed reviews could give some audiences hesitation to rush out to theaters over the opening weekend.
Overall, Supergirl is projected to record a global opening weekend between $80 million and $90 million (per Deadline). That's a major drop from Superman's $220 million global opening, which came in $20 million above expectations; it then had strong legs (2.8x its opening) to make $618 million.
Financials
Supergirl
Superman
Budget
$170 million
$225 million
Estimated Breakeven Point
$425 million
$562.5 million
Dom. Box Office Opening
$47-$50 million (projected)
$125 million
Global Box Office Opening
$80-$90 million (projected)
$220 million
Total Box Office
$250 million (projection)
$618 million
Supergirl's projected global box office opening means it will need to have much stronger legs than Superman to have a chance at becoming a success. A similar performance would give it $252.8 million by the end of its theatrical run. That'd be a financial loss for WB and DC no matter what breakeven point you want to use. Hopefully, audiences latch onto Supergirl more than projections currently suggest.
Release Date
June 26, 2026
Runtime
108 minutes
Director
Craig Gillespie
Writers
Ana Nogueira
Producers
James Gunn, Lars P. Winther, Nigel Gostelow, Peter Safran
