A new Superman update could spell good news for the box office prospects of James Gun DC Comics reboot amid reports projecting its domestic opening weekend to be anywhere between $110 million to $175 million. After several years of creative rejiggering, Gunn (best known for his work on the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy) is finally ready to debut his new vision for an interconnected on-screen DC world, bringing forth his first big-screen effort from his DCU with David Corenswet's Superman. However, it will be opening against some tough competition with both Jurassic World: Rebirth and The Fantastic Four: First Steps arriving in the same release month.
After some worries about whether or not it would happen, James Gunn and the Superman cast appeared on Chinese TV to announce that the DC movie would be released in the territory on Friday, July 11 (the same day as the rest of the world). This news could mean a great deal for the movie's box office potential, as it is now confirmed to arrive in the second-largest moviegoing market in the world.
Gunn appeared on Chinese TV, along with Superman actor David Corenswet, Lois Lane's Rachel Brosnahan, and Lex Luthor's Nicholas Hoult, to announce the information (via X) and show off a few select clips from the forthcoming super-powered blockbuster.
There have been some questions about whether Superman will get a Chinese release, given the nation's relationship with Hollywood in the last few years and the current geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Chinese governments.
However, it should be exciting for fans hoping for the DC film to succeed that it will be coming out in the Asian territory, as it seems to be putting its best foot forward to maximize its box office haul.
Superman marks the first big-screen effort from the newly-minted DCU, coming from The Suicide Squad filmmaker James Gunn as he introduces audiences to his take on the DC Comics world.
The film stars David Corwenswet as the titular Man of Steel, who grapples with being a super-powered alien trying to protect the people of Earth. Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult star alongside Corenswet as Lois Lane and Lex Luthor, respectively, leading a stacked cast of big-name DC Comics mainstays (read more about the Superman cast here).
Why Superman's China Release Is Such a Big Box Office Deal
Superman coming to China is a big deal for the film, especially regarding its box office potential.
Fans may remember that there were several years to start the 2020s when major Hollywood productions (most significantly with the Marvel movies of the time) were not coming out in the Chinese market.
This meant big-name titles like Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, which managed to make a solid box office return domestically, could not live up to their financial potential without the help of the box office titan that the general Chinese moviegoing audience has become.
Since 2023, most of these troubles have subsided, as titles like Avatar: The Way of Water and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever all got to release in the oft-chased theatrical market.
However, with the ongoing tensions between the U.S. government and China, serious concerns about whether something like Superman is coming to the market have started to pop up again.
At least, for now, that does not look like it will be the case. With a full-scale Chinese release, Superman will be able to stretch its box office potential as far as the audience is willing to let it without having to worry about the impedance of not opening in one of the biggest movie markets in the world. That does not mean it is a guaranteed hit, though.
China has not been as receptive to American movies as of late, especially with the emergence of its own Hollywood-scale movie-making industry (look at how China's Ne Zha 2 opened this year to become one of the biggest movies ever).
There was a time when China could be responsible for anywhere from 10 to 30% of a movie's international box office haul (as was the case with titles like Avatar and Avengers: Endgame). That figure has softened in recent years, but that does not make the market any less critical in studios' eyes.
With a Chinese release, Superman will at least have the chance to hit the box office heights that other recent Hollywood heavyweights did not.
Now, the ball is in the movie's court. No excuses can be made. If it is going to succeed, it is up to whether audiences like what they see when it ultimately comes to theaters in July.
