DC Studios' quest to overtake Marvel Studios has hit a major snag after its latest movie failed a rather important Hollywood test. Supergirl had a lot going for it prior to its July release date. Its predecessor, Superman, did well at the box office, successfully launching a franchise on the big screen that appeared to have its fair share of potential. Initial reactions to Supergirl teased that the film was on a similar track, with many praising star Milly Alcock and Jason Momoa's debut as Lobo.
When critics finally got their opportunity to sit down and watch the Craig Gillespie-directed project, they shared mixed sentiments. Many had strong feelings about Supergirl's story and direction, pointing out flaws that made it difficult for them to recommend it.
Of course, a couple of negative reviews won't necessarily hurt the hype for a movie. What will damage its chances of getting people to head to their local theater and give up a couple of hours of their day is a Rotten score on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer. For better or worse, many moviegoers live and die by the Tomatometer and use it to sway them when they're on the fence about seeing something.
Supergirl's score didn't do it any favors because, despite briefly reaching the Fresh benchmark (60% and above), the film currently sits at a 53% with 362 reviews. The poor word of mouth undoubtedly played a part in the film's opening weekend box office performance, as it only made $38 million domestically, a disappointing number for a tentpole superhero project.
While there's no doubt that DC Studios can bounce back in the money department, the baggage that comes with a Rotten Tomatometer score can be hard to shake. Just look at Marvel Studios, which has been putting its audience on a critical roller coaster since it first crossed over into Rotten territory.
Since the MCU was the first franchise of its kind, it wasn't hard to get critics and fans alike to connect with it early. Each movie felt unique from everything that had come before in the genre, even ones that didn't necessarily move the needle, such as Thor: The Dark World.
Once the Infinity Saga came to an end, though, the narrative started to change. Black Widow, a movie about an original Avenger that would've been a shoo-in for the 80%-mark in the 2010s, landed at 79% in 2021. And only a few months later, Marvel Studios released its first Rotten movie, Eternals, Chloé Zhao's superhero debut that earned 48% on the Tomatometer.
With the floodgates opened, it only took two years for another Marvel Studios film to miss 60% on the Tomatometer. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania came in at 46%, still an all-time low for the franchise. Captain America: Brave New World was the next to be dragged through the internet streets, tying Quantumania with 46%.
Marvel Studios is currently fighting an uphill battle to regain critics' trust. But DC Studios doesn't have to suffer the same fate because it's set itself up for success over the next 12 months.
The DCU Can Get Out Of Its Funk Before The End Of 2026
Supergirl clearly isn't the hit that DC Studios was hoping for. The company's co-CEO, Peter Safran, confirmed as much in a statement he released to The New York Times after the movie's box office numbers came in. But one gamble not paying off isn't the end of the world, especially when there are other projects on the way that have winner written all over them.
It all starts on October 23, when Clayface hits theaters, unveiling a new version of the iconic Batman villain. Rather than focusing on the more ridiculous aspects of the character, writer Mike Flanagan and director James Watkins, two of the best horror filmmakers in the business, are going to lean into the terrifying ones.
And genre isn't the only thing Clayface has going for it. It will also feature a relatively unknown actor as its lead. Tom Rhys Harries is far from a household name, which adds an extra layer of intrigue for a project that's already pretty mysterious.
Then, in 2027, the gloves will come off completely for Man of Tomorrow, the highly anticipated sequel to Superman. The whole cast is back, and they'll have to mingle with a few new actors, including Lars Eidinger, who will bring iconic DC Comics villain Brainiac to the big screen for the first time.
In addition to introducing an exciting new villain, Man of Tomorrow is sure to be full of surprises as some of the biggest names in the DCU come together. There are even rumors of Wonder Woman making an appearance.
DC Studios absolutely took one on the chin with Supergirl. However, it will be a blip on the radar for James Gunn and Co. so long as the rest of their Chapter 1 slate takes care of business.
