Netflix's CEO, Ted Sarandos, has given new insight into Superman's digital release rollout. The 2025 superhero film was the first major release in James Gunn and Peter Safran's new DCU at DC Studios. The movie came amid a crowded year for superhero films and amid mutterings of superhero fatigue, placing Superman in a precarious position at the box office.
In the end, Superman performed modestly, earning just over $600 million, though not quite as high as previous instalments, such as Zack Snyder's Man of Steel. The movie arrived on digital on August 15, 2025, which was shortly after its July 9 theatrical release. This short window from theatrical to digital raised eyebrows, as it was shorter than the typical 45-day window that is typically reserved for movies exclusively in theatres.
The reason has since been revealed by Sarandos during a Senate hearing (via C-SPAN) regarding Netflix's potential acquisition of Warner Bros. When questioned whether Netflix would adhere to the industry standard 45-day window, Sarandos said that "the window moves a little bit" for "movies that underperform." The Netflix chief then used Sinners and Superman as examples of these adjusted release windows, citing the former as a film that stayed in theatres longer, and suggesting Superman was one that underperformed due to its shorter window.
Ted Sarandos: "[45 days] is the industry standard for self-enforcement. However, routinely, movies that underperform, the window moves a little bit. 'Superman' was a little shorter window, 'Sinners' was a little longer window."
Fans were initially surprised to see Superman arrive on digital so shortly after its cinema release. At the time, director James Gunn seemed to suggest the reason was Peacemaker Season 2's August release. Gunn told ScreenRant the reason was "very complicated", but that he "wanted everyone to be able to see Superman" even if "they couldn't get to a theater before Peacemaker."
Now with Sarandos' comments in the mix, it appears Superman was pulled from theatres early for a combination of reasons, including that it didn't perform as well at the box office as hoped.
Superman stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The movie takes place in the early years of Superman's career as a hero, as he tries to reconcile his human and Kryptonian heritage. The new DCU film was the first major live-action release from DC Studios and will be followed by a sequel in 2027, Man of Tomorrow.
Did Superman Really Underperform?
To be fair, Superman was still the highest performing superhero movie of 2025 (and reportedly turned a profit for Warner Bros.), outpacing Marvel's Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The movie being pulled from cinemas may have limited its ultimate box-office profits, but the film is still considered a success for DC Studios and helped launch its burgeoning cinematic universe, which will continue with Supergirl and Clayface in 2026.
While Sarandos' comments about Superman being categorized as underperforming may seem critical, there are several reasons the film may not have performed to expectation and was pulled from theaters early.
For one, Superman was released at the height of summer, in July 2025, amid a crowded market. Only two weeks later, Marvel Studios released The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which was also undergoing a major marketing campaign throughout July and had the backing of the established Marvel Cinematic Universe.
This essentially gave Superman two clear weeks as the only superhero film in cinemas, before it had to start sharing screens with The Fantastic Four. This, along with the concerns of superhero fatigue, and the fact that this was another Superman reboot not that long after Henry Cavill hung up the cape, could have added to Superman's waning box office.
