Deadline is reporting that Superman made an estimated $37 million on Saturday (a solid -34% dip), a strong indication that it will open to a super $123 million in North America.
This is the biggest debut for a solo Superman movie ever, beating Man of Steel's $116.6 million in 2013. It's behind Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but the 2016 blockbuster had the benefit of featuring the Caped Crusader, played by Ben Affleck.
It's also the second-highest opening of James Gunn's career, topped only by 2017's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ($146.5 million).
It's a shame that tracking has become so unreliable, as it created lofty expectations of a $150 million - $200 million start. Then again, we were also led to believe that $90 million was a strong possibility, so Superman has massively overperformed in that respect.
The trade explains why the backlash to Gunn's "immigrant" comments is unlikely to have made any difference. "The red county zones for this type of movie aren't underperforming, rather they’re churning out the average amount of cash for a PG-13 family adventure movie."
"At $120M+, this is the ceiling for a standalone Superman movie when he’s not fighting Batman in the desolate remains of Gotham," the report adds.
There's still a strong chance that Superman flies even higher, especially as Man of Steel held up well during its opening weekend. The reviews for the DC Studios reboot have been extremely positive, while word-of-mouth is also excellent based on its CinemaScore and Popcornmeter ratings.
"Superman is an indescribable joy," we said in our review. "A beautiful, moving thrill, David Corenswet is the perfect Man of Steel in a movie packed full of ideas. Fortunately, under James Gunn’s expert direction, all of those work, creating a rousing experience that flies higher than DC has in a very long time."
Stay tuned for more on Superman's box office in the coming days.
Superman, DC Studios' first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures.
In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.
The movie stars David Corenswet in the dual role of Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
Also appearing are Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, Sara Sampaio, María Gabriela de Faría, Wendell Pierce, Alan Tudyk, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Neva Howell, and Milly Alcock.
Superman is now playing in theaters.