'Supergirl' ends theatrical run as lowest-grossing DC film, while James Gunn offers perspective

Supergirl has ended its 40-day theatrical run with a worldwide gross of $125.9 million, making it the lowest-grossing major DC film, according to BoxOfficePro.

The Craig Gillespie-directed film, starring Milly Alcock, earned $72.1 million domestically and $53.8 million internationally after opening with $37.1 million in June.

With a production budget of around $170 million, the film is reportedly set to lose the studio nearly $200 million.

Its performance falls below the previous low among major DC releases, 2004’s Catwoman, which earned $82.4 million.

The film also finished below several recent DC releases, including Blue Beetle, which grossed $130.8 million, and Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which earned $134.1 million worldwide.

The result comes as DC Studios co-head James Gunn celebrates his 60th birthday while working on Man of Tomorrow.

Gunn shared a photograph from the set on Instagram, writing, “What a wonderful birthday on set with the best crew in the world.”

The film’s commercial performance could raise questions about Gunn and Peter Safran’s position at DC Studios, particularly amid uncertainty surrounding the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery deal. However, no change to Gunn’s role has been confirmed.

Supergirl’s theatrical performance remains a setback, but the future of DC Studios will depend on wider studio decisions and the performance of upcoming projects.