After claims it’s a “disastrous” flop, DCU boss Peter Safran has addressed the underperformance of Supergirl at the box office during its opening weekend, saying there’s more to this story than meets the eye. Supergirl sees Milly Alcock reprise the titular role as she travels the galaxy in the quest for revenge. It’s the second film in Safran and James Gunn’s rebooted DC cinematic universe, following on from last year’s Superman. But long before it made it to cinemas, Alcock has been the subject of misogynistic backlash, with many posts commenting on her appearance. These comments have continued amid the film’s release, which debuted to $38million in North America and $30million overseas for a global total of $68million – far below what were already considered poor predictions. This was no doubt impacted by the reviews, with Supergirl earning just 55% on Rotten Tomatoes from the critics. Since the official figures have been released, there have been comments across social media calling it “disastrous” and “a complete flop”. Peter Safran remains positive despite underperformance The overall performance has sparked concern about the DCU’s future, especially amid Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition of its parent company Warner Bros Discovery. Safran addressed its run in a conversation with the New York Times, saying, “While Supergirl didn’t meet our box office expectations, it’s just one component of a broader, long-term strategy at DC Studios that we remain confident in.” Despite his optimism, it’s yet another clear piece of evidence that audiences are increasingly picky when it comes to superhero films, raising the question of whether the old framework needs to change. Box office analysts also highlighted to the outlet the issue of the response to female-led superhero films, writing that it may reflect “a resurgent misogyny among the core fan base, which is largely male.” Warner Bros. execs added that they were surprised by “the ferocity of the backlash and its reach,” believing the world had moved past this way of thinking. Whatever the case, the outlook for Supergirl isn’t too positive right now, especially given its budget. How much does Supergirl need to make to break even? Credit: Warner Bros. Supergirl had a reported production budget of $170million, meaning it will need to make approximately $425million to break even. Now, this figure very much depends on the studio itself and how much was spent elsewhere, with some reports suggesting it could break even at $375million. If you’re wondering where these estimates come from, the rule is that new films generally need to make around 2.5 times their original budget to break even due to the additional costs such as fees to exhibitors, merchandising and taxes. Alongside the estimated production budget, there’s also the marketing costs to consider, as well as the fact that studios only keep about 50-60% of box office revenue (and even less from international markets). Ultimately, Supergirl faces an uphill battle to break even, let alone make a profit. Even so, Safran’s comments suggest DC Studios isn’t viewing Supergirl as a make-or-break moment for the franchise. Disappointing? Yes, but overall this is just a minor setback for the DCU… Supergirl as a character has never had motion like that (her first film in 1984 made just $14M worldwide). You don’t hit the panic button until characters like Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman flop. https://t.co/DRcobzVyQi — 👑 (@RoyalMaj3sty) June 28, 2026 The rebooted DCU has always been pitched as a long-term project rather than one built on the success of a single film, and with films like Clayface and Man of Tomorrow generating hype, this may not spell the end of the superhero saga. For all the latest film and TV updates and hot takes, like our Facebook page. Featured images credit: Warner Bros. Post navigation Next storyPrevious story
