'We Remain Confident': Peter Safran Addresses 'Supergirl's' Box Office Underperformance

Supergirl, the latest film in the DC Universe (DCU), has fallen short of box office expectations despite strong pre-release buzz.

The superhero film opened to approximately $38 million (£28 million) domestically, below early projections of around $50 million (£38 million), and earned a further $30 million (£23 million) overseas, bringing its worldwide opening weekend total to $68 million (£51 million). The film reportedly had a production budget of around $170 million (£128 million).

In Supergirl, Kara Zor-El (Milly Alcock) 'reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion on an epic, interstellar journey of vengeance and justice.'

The story follows Kara as she attempts to save her dog, Krypto, after he is poisoned, alongside Ruthye Marye Knoll (Eve Ridley), a young girl seeking revenge against Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts).

The film received mixed reviews from critics, with one describing it as 'the worst script in years.' Following its release, DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran acknowledged that Supergirl failed to meet the studio's box office expectations.

DC Studios Breaks Silence on Box Office Performance

'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,' Safran told The New York Times.

Safran's comments suggest the studio is not planning to change course based on the performance of a single film.

Supergirl follows Superman, which grossed $618 million (£467 million) worldwide and was widely viewed as a promising start to James Gunn's DCU. By comparison, Supergirl's opening weekend earned less than a third of Superman's debut and slightly less than other notable superhero box office disappointments, including Morbius, which opened to $39.1 million (£29 million) domestically.

Reports suggest Supergirl would need to earn roughly $375 million (£283 million) worldwide to break even.

Rotten Tomatoes Score Divides Critics and Audiences

The film's box office struggles have been accompanied by a mixed critical reception. On Rotten Tomatoes, Supergirl currently holds a 54% critics' score, compared with a much stronger 76% audience score.

Owen Gleiberman of Variety described the film as 'super horrendous,' while Tomris Laffly of RogerEbert.com called it 'a shallow blockbuster that never takes flight.'

Audience reactions, however, have been considerably more positive. One reviewer wrote on Rotten Tomatoes: 'A super fun movie with action, drama and laughs! Don't miss this. Don't listen to the Haters. This is a must see movie!'

Another said: 'Loved the movie, the themes and characters, the way the new elements are blended into the story from the comic. The acting was incredible. The stakes were created in such entertaining ways. Overall just a great movie.'

The film has drawn criticism mainly for its script and action sequences. However, many reviewers praised Alcock's performance as Supergirl, while Jason Momoa's debut as bounty hunter Lobo and David Corenswet's appearance as Superman were also highlighted as standout moments.

Upcoming DCU Projects

Following Supergirl, DC Studios still has several projects on the way. Up next is James Watkins' Clayface, which is scheduled to arrive in theaters on 23 October 2026.

The film will be followed by Man of Tomorrow, the sequel to Superman, which is set for release on 9 July 2027. Gunn already teased that Alcock will be having a big role in Man of Tomorrow.

'She's very, very different from her cousin, which puts them at odds, which is a big part of this movie, and then an even bigger part of Man of Tomorrow, which we're filming now... Milly's got a big role in that one,' Gunn told ExtraTV.

The Lanterns series, which stars Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre, is also set to premiere on HBO on 16 August 2026.