For the first time since its theatrical release, James Gunn’s Superman has finally found an area where it’s flying higher than expected in the Nielsen streaming ratings.
After weeks of mixed box office headlines and uncertain chatter about the future of the DC Universe, Gunn’s first film under his full creative leadership has managed to outperform both Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam and Marvel’s most recent releases (Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts) on streaming.
However, Superman still fell behind Netfix’s KPop Demon Hunters in the streaming ratings, even a month after the animated film released.
Nielsen streaming ratings for September 22-28, 2025 – Nielsen
READ: Simu Liu Meltdown at Vince Dao Over Rice Turns Into a Career Reality Check for Marvel Star
According to Nielsen’s official streaming rankings for September 22–28, Superman pulled 569 million minutes viewed on HBO Max, enough to earn the #2 slot on the Movies chart. When combined with its debut weekend numbers, that brings the film’s ten-day total to 1.08 billion minutes, averaging 108 million minutes per day.
That’s not just good news for DC—it’s a rare DC win for Warner Bros. Discovery, which has been desperate to prove Gunn’s rebooted DCU can attract an audience.
A Closer Look at the Numbers
During its opening weekend, Superman captured 513 million minutes in just three days—roughly 171 million per day. By comparison, the following seven days brought in a more modest 567 million minutes total, averaging 81 million per day.
Superman saves a little girl in the Superman teaser trailer – YouTube, DC
That steep decline might sound dramatic, but it’s actually typical for high-profile streaming premieres. The first weekend draws curiosity, social-media buzz, and fans eager to see what’s new. The second week, however, shows what sticks.
In Superman’s case, the retention wasn’t spectacular, but it was steady enough to hold its place in the Top 3—something Black Adam failed to do.
Passing Black Adam
When Black Adam premiered on HBO Max, it opened stronger than Superman with 632 million minutes in its first three days. Unfortunately for Dwayne Johnson’s antihero epic, it collapsed almost immediately afterward.
Black Adam (2022), Warner Bros. Pictures
READ: Jesus Officially Being Recast for Mel Gibson Passion of the Christ Sequel
By the time Nielsen released its second-week chart, Black Adam had completely vanished from the Top 10, despite the lowest-ranked movie that week still pulling 499 million minutes. It only reappeared one week later, limping in with 333 million minutes—a clear sign of audience drop-off.
By comparison, Superman’s second-week performance demonstrates that, while interest dropped, enough viewers stuck around to keep it relevant. It’s not exactly a blockbuster resurgence, but it’s a measurable improvement over the Johnson-led outing that many once hoped would “save” DC.
Superman vs. Marvel’s Modern Malaise
The more surprising takeaway is that Gunn’s Superman also outpaced Marvel’s latest projects in terms of average daily viewing.
Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America in Marvel Studios‘ CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD. Photo by Eli Adé. ©:
-
- Captain America: Brave New World drew 750 million minutes over four days, then 304 million in its second week, for a total of 1.05 billion minutes over eleven days—about 96 million per day.
-
- Thunderbolts debuted with 702 million minutes in its first five days, followed by 368 million the next week, reaching 1.07 billion minutes in twelve days, or 89 million per day.
That means Superman’s 108 million per day average beat both Marvel films on a per-day basis, despite trailing them in initial hype and total reach.
In other words: DC finally has bragging rights—albeit small ones.
The Thunderbolts uniting in Marvel’s Thunderbolts – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
READ: Netflix Caves: Stranger Things Finale to Receive Theatrical Release in Over 350 Theaters
But the victory is complicated. Marvel’s ongoing decline in both box office and streaming engagement has set the bar lower than ever. Even surpassing them now doesn’t carry the same prestige it did five years ago. When your competition is tripping over itself, clearing the hurdle isn’t exactly an Olympic feat.
Still No Match for KPop Demon Hunters
Even with its second-place finish, Superman still couldn’t catch the top performer of the week: Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters. According to Nielsen’s chart, the animated action-comedy racked up a massive 746 million minutes viewed — nearly 200 million more than Superman.
What makes that number more striking is that KPop Demon Hunters wasn’t new. The film had already been available on Netflix for over a month by the time this chart was recorded, meaning its total came not from opening-week curiosity but from sustained, repeat engagement. The difference in this comparison vs our previous one was we’re not comparing first week to first week. Superman in its first week lost to KPop Demon Hunters after the latter had been out for an entire month.
[caption id="attachment_53233" align="alignnone" width="1364"]
A screenshot from the trailer to KPop Demon Hunters – YouTube, Sony Pictures AnimationThat suggests Superman didn’t lose to a fresher release — it lost to a holdover that had already peaked weeks earlier. The comparison illustrates how limited DC’s streaming breakthrough really is and how far the super hero genre in general has fallen.
Gunn’s flagship reboot couldn’t dethrone an older animated film still coasting on residual interest.
It’s a humbling reminder that even when Superman finally climbs into second place, he’s still staring up at someone else’s spotlight.
A Cautious Win for Gunn’s DCU
It’s no secret that Gunn’s leadership has divided fans. His decision to reboot the DC Universe from scratch—while keeping some existing cast members like Viola Davis and John Cena—has led to confusion about what’s canon and what isn’t.
Superman, the first true chapter of his “Gods and Monsters” era, needed to deliver something resembling a win. The box office was solid but not spectacular, landing at $615 million worldwide. Critics were mixed. Hardcore fans were split.
James Gunn sits for an interview – YouTube, GQ
READ: Star Wars Fans Fly Plane Over Disney Studios Demanding Bob Iger “Save The Hunt for Ben Solo”
Now, at least, the streaming results offer something tangible. For Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, who’s been touting synergy across theatrical and streaming windows, it’s a sign that the brand still draws clicks when the content hits Max.
However, there’s a reason analysts are calling this a “cautious win.” The film’s streaming pattern mirrors its theatrical one—front-loaded and fading quickly. Its second-week slowdown reflects limited repeat viewing and lukewarm word of mouth.
If the goal was to establish momentum for a long-term DCU renaissance, Superman has only partially succeeded.
What It Means for DC’s Future
The takeaway is simple: audiences are watching, but they’re not yet convinced. Gunn’s reputation for quirky ensemble stories (Guardians of the Galaxy, “The Suicide Squad”) hasn’t translated into a universally adored reboot for the most iconic superhero in history.
That said, outperforming both Black Adam and Marvel’s latest two entries marks a shift in perception. For the first time in a long while, DC is trending upward while Marvel continues to lose steam. If Superman’s streaming rebound can help restore faith in the DCU pipeline, Gunn might have the runway he needs to make good on his promises.
Superman and Lex Luthor in a Jim Lee-Created teaser image for the Superman Sequel Man of Tomorrow – X, @JamesGunn
But if future titles repeat the same pattern—strong curiosity followed by quick disinterest—then even small wins like this won’t be enough to keep the universe flying.
For now, Superman can finally claim a victory over both his rival studio and his own franchise’s past misfires. It’s a good start. But the Man of Steel has a long way to go before he truly soars again.
How do you feel about these Superman streaming ratings? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
UP NEXT: Rotten Tomatoes’ Ownership Shake-Up Raises Privacy Concerns — and Opens the Door for Criticless
Just think. After this, and that crappy woke TV show no one watched Season 2 of, it’s downhill from here. The law of diminishing returns sets right in!
“curiosity followed by quick disinterest”
Authors, please learn the distinction between “disinterest” and uninterest”. They mean totally different things.
That top 10 list is dreadful. People are cancelling pervert Netflix because they are targeting kids with trans propaganda. Well, there’s not much to miss, is there?
K-Pop is in a class all on its own; a cultural moment along with things like Frozen, so I’m not sure it is fair to compare it to anything.
I’m happy/sad Superman 2025 is doing decent. I think Gunn must be relieved that it is doing well considering the truncated theater run. On the other hand, it isn’t exactly blowing the doors off the competing superhero movies. That is a fail and not exactly a solid platform to launch the new DCU. I have almost no faith in any of the upcoming DC releases and I doubt I’m the only skeptic of the entire slate.
A small piece of trivia: I found out Gunn was one of the writers for the abysmal Scooby Doo 2 movie. He’s probably happy he wasn’t directing or producing otherwise “James Gunn’s Scooby Doo 2” would have deep sixed his career! As it is I’m surprised he was able to leverage that as proof of his writing skillz.
I’m with you, valorous one.