Supergirl’s Rough Touchdown
Supergirl didn’t exactly soar out of the gate. The DC cousin’s solo outing opened to about $38 million in North America across roughly 3,600 theaters, and worldwide receipts sit near $68 million. That’s well under what the studio hoped for and a far cry from what the movie would need to feel comfortable.
The picture’s reported production cost is around $170 million, and insiders say it needs roughly $300 million to break even once marketing and other expenses are counted. With critics giving it about a 56% score on aggregate sites and audiences handing it a B- CinemaScore, the film looks like it might struggle to build the kind of word-of-mouth that saves a slow start.
So… What Went Wrong?
There’s no single smoking gun, but a few obvious suspects: maybe audiences are taking a superhero time-out, maybe the movie’s creative choices didn’t click, or maybe it just didn’t excite viewers enough to make opening weekend a splash.
The middling reviews and average audience grades suggest it’s not outright hated — more like shrugged at. That’s a dangerous place for a big-budget franchise flick; if viewers don’t feel compelled to recommend it, long-term box-office salvage gets a lot harder.
Toy Story 5: Still the Box Office Babysitter
Meanwhile, the animated juggernaut shows no mercy. Toy Story 5 added another $70 million domestically in its second weekend, pushing its U.S. haul to about $297 million and lifting the global total to roughly $585 million.
Families and fans are clearly still flocking to Pixar’s world, proving franchise loyalty can outweigh the allure of new superhero entries — at least for now.
The Wider Takeaway
What this weekend really highlights is contrast: one long-running animated series keeps drawing crowds while a glossy superhero launch underperforms. Is it fatigue with capes? A creative misfire? Or simply the difference between a trusted franchise and a gamble?
Studios will be watching the weeks ahead closely. Supergirl can still recover if it sticks around and viewers warm up to it, but it’ll need steady legs rather than a big second act spike.
Bottom Line
Short version: Toy Story 5 is on cruise control, while Supergirl hit a speed bump. Expect pundits to debate reasons — from franchise fatigue to marketing missteps — but the numbers are the numbers. For Supergirl, the next few weeks are make-or-break for any hopes of a happy financial ending.