James Gunn’s new DC Universe has suffered another major setback as Supergirl collapsed in its second weekend at the box office, falling behind the patriotic historical drama Young Washington.
After already opening below expectations, the latest DC Studios release starring Milly Alcock dropped a massive 74% in its sophomore weekend, bringing in just $9.6 million domestically. That’s a far worse drop than the 60% predicted by Hollywood trade outlets last week.
The sharp decline leaves the film with roughly $58.4 million domestically after two weekends, raising serious questions about the future of the rebooted DC Universe and whether audiences are embracing the new direction.
The latest Supergirl box office numbers represent another troubling development for Warner Bros. Discovery after the studio entrusted Gunn and Peter Safran with rebuilding the DC brand following years of inconsistent results.
Supergirl Box Office Collapse Signals Major Audience Problem for DC Studios
Second weekend drops are always expected for major franchise releases, especially superhero films that bring out their biggest fans early. However, a decline approaching three quarters of an already pitiful opening weekend is generally considered a sign of poor staying power.
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The problem for Supergirl is that it didn’t have a massive opening weekend cushion to begin with.
The film debuted with approximately $37 million domestically, far below the kind of numbers once associated with major DC characters. With a reported production budget around $170 million before marketing expenses, the film needed strong legs to recover from its disappointing start. Instead, the second weekend suggests the opposite happened.
The collapse is particularly damaging because Supergirl was not simply another leftover project from the previous DC era. The film was positioned as one of the first major theatrical tests of Gunn’s revamped DC Universe.
A screen capture from the Supergirl trailer – YouTube @dcofficial
Gunn’s first film, Superman, was intended to relaunch the brand and create momentum. Supergirl was supposed to prove audiences were ready to invest in this new cinematic universe beyond the Man of Steel.
Instead, the audience appears to be shrinking.
Young Washington Defeats Supergirl Despite Smaller Budget
Adding insult to injury for DC Studios, Supergirl was beaten by Young Washington, a historical film by Angel Studios centered on the early life and military career of George Washington.
The Angel Studios release reportedly opened with approximately $20.8 million domestically, more than doubling Supergirl’s second weekend despite having a fraction of the budget and marketing muscle behind it.
That comparison is significant.
An image from Young Washington – Angel Studios
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Supergirl entered theaters backed by one of the most recognizable superhero brands in history, a major Hollywood studio, and the marketing power of Warner Bros. Meanwhile, Young Washington relied on a very different strategy: appealing directly to an audience interested in American history and inspirational storytelling.
The results highlight a growing conversation in Hollywood about whether studios have underestimated certain audiences while continuing to pour enormous budgets into franchises that no longer guarantee turnout.
DC Faces Difficult Questions After Another Superhero Struggle
The superhero genre has faced increasing challenges in recent years, with several major comic book films failing to reach the heights once considered automatic.
Marvel Studios has experienced its own setbacks with films like The Marvels and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, while DC has struggled with projects including The Flash, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and Blue Beetle.
The difference is that Supergirl was supposed to represent the solution.
The poster for Supergirl – DC
With Gunn’s DC Studios still in its early stages, Warner Bros. now faces the uncomfortable reality that rebuilding audience trust may take much longer than simply changing leadership and announcing a new slate of projects.
A recognizable logo and familiar characters are no longer enough to guarantee success.
For Supergirl, the second weekend numbers suggest audiences didn’t just skip opening weekend. Many of the ones who waited appear to have decided not to show up at all.
How do you feel about the massive box office drop for Supergirl in its second weekend? Sound off and let us know!
