After a not-so-convincing box office performance, Supergirl is struggling on streaming, too. The second theatrical release of James Gunn's DCU now has worse streaming numbers than five major movies from the DC Extended Universe era that were classified as massive flops. Supergirl arrived in theaters June 26 with huge expectations after the DCU's first film, Superman, proved a success, ushering in a new era. However, the Millie Alcock-led film couldn't fill seats and moved to streaming about two and a half months later, where it was expected to receive a second life. That hasn't been the case.
According to Nielsen, Supergirl drew 304 million minutes viewed in the United States after arriving on HBO Max on September 10. Those figures cover the September 7 to 13 window, meaning they account for just the movie's first four days on the platform. Dividing the minutes by the film's roughly 108-minute runtime works out to about 2.8 million complete-runtime equivalents. Supergirl may have hit number one on HBO Max, but the raw data proves it wasn't exactly the streaming juggernaut those headlines made it out to be.
The Nielsen movie chart puts that in proper context. Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Again? was the most-streamed movie that week with 908 million minutes on Netflix. The Whisper Man followed with 404 million, and Disney+'s Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu did 366 million. Even Those Who Wish Me Dead, a 2021 Angelina Jolie thriller, beat the DC film with 323 million minutes after landing on Netflix. Supergirl placed fifth with its 304 million minutes, a clear sign its viewership wasn't strong when measured against the broader streaming field.
DCEU Flops That Supergirl Performed Worse Than On Streaming
The Flash
The numbers look even worse next to DCEU movies that flopped hard at the box office. Supergirl is one of the lowest-grossing DC films in years, managing only $126.4 million during its theatrical run, worse than The Flash, a notorious bomb that still grossed $270 million worldwide. And while Supergirl's complete-runtime equivalent sits at around 2.8 million, a Nielsen-based chart making the rounds shows the DCEU's own disappointments fared far better in their streaming debuts.
Per that data, The Flash came in at 5.2 million, which means Supergirl's debut falls 46% below the Ezra Miller-led movie. Much like Supergirl, The Flash had a short theatrical window, arriving on HBO Max on August 25, 2023, about two months after its June 16 release.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom pulled 9.0 million, which puts Supergirl roughly 69% below it, quite the gap. The film was the sequel to Jason Momoa's first Aquaman, a resounding success that earned over a billion at the box office. The follow-up, on the other hand, didn't live up to expectations, raking in only $433 million by the end of its run.
By the first movie's standards, that was widely considered a flop. Still, its performance isn't nearly as dire as The Flash or Supergirl, so its stronger streaming showing isn't surprising. A movie's box office run tends to have a significant impact on its streaming reception.
Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle also fared better, earning 5.9 million. The Xolo Maridueña-led film has long been considered a gem that got a raw deal at the box office. It arrived at a tumultuous time for DC, as leadership was switching hands in 2023, and it holds a 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, a testament to its quality. It's no wonder Maridueña is getting another shot at the character in James Gunn's Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow.
Black Adam
Black Adam, the film Dwayne Johnson famously promised would usher in a new era for DC, logged 5.1 million, which leaves Supergirl about 45% below it. Expectations were high given that Johnson was one of the hottest commodities in Hollywood in 2022, the year the film came out. That wasn't enough to save the action-packed superhero flick, which grossed only $393 million against a budget reportedly as high as $260 million.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Shazam! Fury of the Gods, another sequel that massively disappointed DC fans, managed 4.5 million. The gap between its Nielsen figure and Supergirl's isn't as big as the other DCEU movies on this list, which isn't surprising given it only did $133.4 million by the end of its theatrical run. It was one of the most disappointing showings of the era, especially since the first Shazam! was well received by general audiences.
There is one important caveat, though. Supergirl's figure accounts for only four days, while the other movies' figures come from slightly longer windows. Even so, they all outperformed it in their first few days, and given its slow start, it's hard to see Supergirl closing that gap over the long haul.
How Does Supergirl's Poor Performance Affect the DCU?
The DCEU movies on this chart were labeled flops because of how woefully they performed theatrically. Those failures are the reason Warner Bros. brought in James Gunn and Peter Safran as DC Studios' co-CEOs to reboot the universe. Superman delivered with $618 million, signaling a promising start.
Supergirl's poor showing, however, is a major setback for the DCU, especially with Warner Bros. ownership set to change hands soon as Paramount nears completion of its acquisition. DC Studios looks to turn things around with its upcoming horror release, Clayface, which could easily turn a significant profit given its reported $40 million budget.
Lanterns has also bolstered the DCU's image on streaming, pulling 525 million minutes in that same Nielsen week highlighted earlier here. The studio aims to put the setback even further behind it with the Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow, which arrives July 9, 2027. Despite Supergirl's struggles, the future of the DCU looks promising, but it can't afford another box office or streaming stumble.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
