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New 'Superman' muscles to $217 million at global box office
New 'Superman' muscles to $217 million at global box office

Khaleej Times

time6 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • Khaleej Times

New 'Superman' muscles to $217 million at global box office

A new Superman movie from Warner Bros hauled in an estimated $122 million (Dh448.1 million) to lead weekend box office charts in the United States and Canada, a strong domestic debut that kicked off a new era for DC comic book heroes on the big screen. The movie that introduces David Corenswet as the Man of Steel added $95 million in international markets for global ticket sales expected to reach $217 million through Sunday, Warner Bros said. Superman is a reboot of the movie franchise based on the hero who debuted in comic books in 1938. The film's performance is critical to the future of Warner Bros and its DC Studios division. Despite a stable of iconic characters, including Batman and Wonder Woman, DC has not been able to match the box office power of Walt Disney's Marvel superhero films. The new Superman was written and directed by James Gunn, the filmmaker known for three offbeat Guardians of the Galaxy movies for Marvel. Gunn was tapped as co-CEO of DC Studios in 2022, alongside producer Peter Safran, and billed as the hero who could bring consistent success to its film and TV projects. Superman is one of only three films to debut with more than $100 million in domestic ticket sales in 2025 as moviegoing lingers below pre-pandemic levels. "The domestic number is great. You can't beat a top three opening of the year," Jeff Bock, senior box office analyst at Exhibitor Relations Co, said of the Superman results. He called the international ticket sales "troubling" for a big-budget action movie. The film cost $225 million to make, according to a source with knowledge of the budget. Jeff Goldstein, president of global distribution at Warner Bros., said the studio was thrilled with the domestic response and that the movie about an American icon performed as expected overseas. "We always knew that this would be bigger in the U.S. than international," Goldstein said. " Superman has always been very American-centric." Gunn's take on the character earned positive reviews from critics. Nearly 82 per cent of reviews collected on the Rotten Tomatoes website gave the film a thumbs up. Corenswet stars opposite The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel actor Rachel Brosnahan as journalist Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as villain Lex Luthor. After box office misfires last year including Furiosa and Joker: Folie à Deux, Warner Bros has notched six No. 1 openings in 2025. The studio boasts this year's highest domestic opening with A Minecraft Movie, which pulled in $162.8 million over its first three days in April. The studio also has delivered hits with Sinners, Final Destination Bloodlines and F1. Superman is meant to set the stage for coming DC films, including a Supergirl movie next summer and future Batman and Wonder Woman films. Some conservative commentators objected to Superman when Gunn said the movie about a refugee from another planet was an immigrant story. US President Donald Trump posted a meme that showed his face in place of Corenswet's on a Superman poster. The director and stars said the film was a tale about kindness and no political message was intended. "It's just a movie guys," actor Nathan Fillion, who plays Green Lantern, told Variety at the film's Los Angeles premiere. Elsewhere over the weekend, Jurassic World Rebirth finished second on domestic charts with $40 million, according to Comscore estimates. F1 came in third, collecting $13 million. Year-to-date ticket sales in the US and Canada hovered 15% above 2024 but 24% below the pre-Covid times of 2019.

Superman' reboot soars with US$122m US debut, launches new DC era under James Gunn
Superman' reboot soars with US$122m US debut, launches new DC era under James Gunn

Malay Mail

time6 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • Malay Mail

Superman' reboot soars with US$122m US debut, launches new DC era under James Gunn

LOS ANGELES, July 14 — A new 'Superman' movie from Warner Bros hauled in an estimated US$122 million (RM518 million) to lead weekend box office charts in the United States and Canada, a strong domestic debut that kicked off a new era for DC comic book heroes on the big screen. The movie that introduces David Corenswet as the Man of Steel added US$95 million in international markets for global ticket sales expected to reach US$217 million through Sunday, Warner Bros said. 'Superman' is a reboot of the movie franchise based on the hero who debuted in comic books in 1938. The film's performance is critical to the future of Warner Bros and its DC Studios division. Despite a stable of iconic characters including Batman and Wonder Woman, DC has not been able to match the box office power of Walt Disney's Marvel superhero films. The new 'Superman' was written and directed by James Gunn, the filmmaker known for three offbeat 'Guardians of the Galaxy' movies for Marvel. Gunn was tapped as co-CEO of DC Studios in 2022, alongside producer Peter Safran, and billed as the hero who could bring consistent success to its film and TV projects. 'Superman' is meant to set the stage for coming DC films including a 'Supergirl' movie next summer and future Batman and Wonder Woman films. 'The DC vision is clear, the momentum is real, and I couldn't be more excited for what's ahead,' Warner Bros Discovery Chief Executive David Zaslav said in a statement. 'Superman' is one of only three films to debut with more than US$100 million in domestic ticket sales in 2025 as moviegoing lingers below pre-pandemic levels. 'The domestic number is great. You can't beat a top three opening of the year,' Jeff Bock, senior box office analyst at Exhibitor Relations Co, said of the 'Superman' results. He called the international ticket sales 'troubling' for a big-budget action movie. The film cost US$225 million to make, according to a source with knowledge of the budget. Jeff Goldstein, president of global distribution at Warner Bros., said the studio was thrilled with the domestic response and that the movie about an American icon performed as expected overseas. 'We always knew that this would be bigger in the U.S. than international,' Goldstein said. 'Superman has always been very American-centric.' Gunn's take on the character earned positive reviews from critics. Eighty-two percent of reviews collected on the Rotten Tomatoes website gave the film a thumbs up. Corenswet stars opposite 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' actor Rachel Brosnahan as journalist Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as villain Lex Luthor. After box office misfires last year including 'Furiosa' and 'Joker: Folie à Deux,' Warner Bros has notched six No. 1 openings in 2025. The studio boasts this year's highest domestic opening with 'A Minecraft Movie,' which pulled in US$162.8 million over its first three days in April. The studio also has delivered hits with 'Sinners,' 'Final Destination Bloodlines' and 'F1.' Some conservative commentators objected to 'Superman' when Gunn said the movie about a refugee from another planet was an immigrant story. U.S. President Donald Trump posted a meme that showed his face in place of Corenswet's on a Superman poster. The director and stars said the film was a tale about kindness and no political message was intended. 'It's just a movie guys,' actor Nathan Fillion, who plays Green Lantern, told Variety at the film's Los Angeles premiere. Year-to-date ticket sales for all movies in the U.S. and Canada hovered 15 per cent above 2024 but 24 per cent below the pre-COVID times of 2019. — Reuters

This Guy! 'Superman' star Nathan Fillion on playing a Green Lantern for over a decade and dropping F-bombs in 'Lanterns'
This Guy! 'Superman' star Nathan Fillion on playing a Green Lantern for over a decade and dropping F-bombs in 'Lanterns'

Yahoo

time12-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Yahoo

This Guy! 'Superman' star Nathan Fillion on playing a Green Lantern for over a decade and dropping F-bombs in 'Lanterns'

Nathan Fillion unpacks his history voicing Green Lanterns in animated projects before debuting as Guy Gardner in the live-action Superman. On that bowl cut: "It started with something that looked very much like He-Man..." Fillion will return as Guy in HBO's Lanterns, teasing, "I've dropped more f-bombs in that project than I have in, I think, my entire career put together."Nathan Fillion is the Green Lantern guy. Yes, he plays Guy Gardner, one of a handful of Earth-based Green Lanterns (and by far the most pompous of them all) from DC comics, in this summer's Superman. He also has been the industry's go-to for this particular character set for about 25 years. (He celebrates his 31st anniversary as a working actor this year.) Fillion's long history in the Green Lantern Corps, the intergalactic league of space cops, played out largely in animation. It began with the Emerald Knights movie in 2011, voicing Hal Jordan, one of the more recognizable comics characters to pick up the Green Lantern mantle. This was followed by returns in Justice League: Doom (2012), Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013), Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2015), The Death of Superman (2018), Reign of Superman (2019), and a collection of Robot Chicken specials — all animated. By our count, Fillion collectively played a Green Lantern of some form 10 times, not including the new live-action Superman. It's almost like the actor is a living Easter egg for those nerdy fans who followed him over the years. "That has not escaped my attention," the actor tells Entertainment Weekly, Zoom-ing in from Los Angeles ahead of the Superman premiere in a hot pink t-shirt. "Yes, it's fun like that. The people who are making it, giving a sly nod to the audience: 'If you know, it's an inside joke.'" Fillion vaguely remembers when he became the Green Lantern guy. He was on a hit show, Firefly, which got him through the door at DC animation, first voicing various characters in the Justice League Unlimited series (2005) and then as notable Diana Prince paramour Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman (2009). "I think once they started sliding me into the Hal Jordan DC animated [movies], Robot Chicken said, 'Well, it makes sense then to use him for our Green Lantern,'" he recalls. "When you have that kind of consistency, it lends truth to the DC universe that is out there. That's something I'm actually really looking forward to with James Gunn being in charge of the DC universe." Gunn, Fillion's longtime cohort, dating back to their indie horror-comedy Slither (2006), now serves as co-head of DC Studios with Peter Safran. With Superman, which he wrote and directed, the filmmaker further expands the DCU he built. Fillion is now a part of that DCU, first with this summer's event movie (out this Friday), then with Peacemaker season 2 on HBO this August, and then again with Lanterns, another series that's currently shooting. It was at the afterparty of Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 where Fillion first learned about his DC casting. That film, which featured Fillion as Master Karja, was the last Marvel movie Gunn wrote and directed before shifting into his new role spearheading the creative at DC Studios. "Peter Safran puts his hand on my shoulder and says, 'Has James told you what we have for you next?'" Fillion recollects. "'No, he hasn't.' 'I'll let him tell you.'" Cut to Gunn whispering the news in Fillion's ear, surrounded by throngs of revelers. Unlike Hal or even the other well-known Earth-based Lantern, John Stewart, Guy Gardner is not your typical Lantern. Fillion routinely describes him as the one you'd least want saving you. One chief example is his uniform. The guy is never seen outside of his uniform. There was one diner scene where Fillion says they did have a civilian outfit waiting in the wings, but the team ultimately decided against it. Why? Because Guy wants to be recognized all the time. "Guy Gardner is about 98 percent flawed. So he is a goldmine of opportunity for comedy," the star says. "I always felt it was difficult to make people laugh, but it's easy to let people laugh at you." Guy still comes equipped with a power ring, the chief weapon of the Lantern, a ring so powerful it can create just about anything he can think of — even, in Guy's case, a giant fist flicking the bird. In Superman, however, Guy is a member of a super-trio known as the Justice Gang, a team backed by tech billionaire Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn). Hawkgirl/Kendra Saunders (Isabela Merced), a reincarnated winged warrior, and Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), a tech genius, are his work chums. He's also got a bowl cut to end all bowl cuts. There was some debate behind the scenes between the pro- and anti-bowl cut factions, but Fillion was always pro. "It started with something that looked very much like He-Man, then moved towards more of a Justin Bieber, and then finally settled into the bowl cut itself," he explains. "It is not a small decision to have a character have a goofy haircut like that. So there were thoughts about other hairstyles, but my opinion was, this is canon. If you don't do it, you're going to hear about it." Between Superman, Peacemaker, and Lanterns, Fillion is wearing the hell out of this bowl cut. The latter is particularly intriguing because we'll see what the other Green Lanterns think of Guy in this series from Chris Mundy (showrunner), Damon Lindelof (writer/executive producer), and Tom King (writer/executive producer/comic book scribe). Aaron Pierre of Mufasa: The Lion King and Rebel Ridge stars as John Stewart, a new recruit to the Green Lantern Corps who teams up with veteran Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) to investigate a murder in the American Heartland."Aaron, he's got a voice like butter. And he's statuesque, like he's carved out of marble," Fillion describes. "He's very, very specific about his character and what his character's going through. His character's clearly going through something. And then along comes this gregarious, smug son of a bitch in Guy Gardner. And in that Guy Gardner. I've dropped more f-bombs in that project than I have in, I think, my entire career put together." He says Guy comes across quite smug in his first scene with Pierre's John, "but by the end of it, you can tell there is a shift," Fillion adds. "Guy Gardner is no longer comfortable. He is no longer feeling smug. Then you can see where John's strength really lies. That is a strong individual. I don't really have any scenes directly with Hal Jordan, but meeting Kyle, he's everything you'd hope he would be. Very fun, very nice man, very lighthearted, and fun to be around." From there, who knows? Gunn hasn't fully clued Fillion in on the entire plan for Guy Gardner in the DCU, but it's safe to say it's just the beginning. Funny enough, it could even entail a return trip to animation. Gunn made clear his intentions for his DCU actors to also voice their live-action roles in any animated title. "There's been a bunch of people now who have played Hal Jordan," Fillion comments, "but I'm the first live-action Guy Gardner. If there's to be another, I'll still be the first. So I think I'm in a great spot." Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly

Trump now Superman? White House cashes in on new Man of Steel film hype
Trump now Superman? White House cashes in on new Man of Steel film hype

Khaleej Times

time11-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Khaleej Times

Trump now Superman? White House cashes in on new Man of Steel film hype

He has been the Pope, a Star Wars character, and now he is a superhero. The White House has shared a new AI-generated image of US President Donald Trump, posing as Superman this time. An image posted on the White House social handles pictures Trump as the DC comics superhero, dressed in the iconic red-and-blue costume. The photo is accompanied by the caption, "The symbol of hope. Truth. Justice. The American Way. Superman Trump." The post coincides with the release of James Gunn's Superman movie, starring David Corenswet. Critics were quick to point out in the comments that the superhero character is an 'undocumented alien', taking a dig at the US President's anti-immigration policies. "Superman was an undocumented immigrant.' "You do know superman was an immigrant right? He's a literal alien." "Pretty sure ICE has a mandate to deport Superman." View this post on Instagram A post shared by The White House (@whitehouse) Gunn himself has called Superman an "immigrant", inviting backlash from right wingers. In an interview, the writer-director told the Times of London, "I mean, Superman is the story of America. An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country, but for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost." The White House has previously shared AI images of Trump as Pope, days after he joked to media, "I'd like to be Pope." They also turned him into a Jedi from Star Wars, with a red light saber in hand, for May the 4th this year. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The White House (@whitehouse) The Superman post cashes in on the hype around the new Warnes Bros. movie, out in theatres today. This is the second reboot of the Superman film series, and is expected to set the tone for the franchise. Several marketing ploys attempted to catch the attention of moviegoers in the world in the past few weeks, including a 'diving Superman' at the Dubai Mall waterfall. To celebrate the regional release of the film, one of The Dubai Mall's waterfall divers was transformed into the cape-wearing hero himself. Earlier this month, a Superman statue appeared in London, suspended over 300 metres above the capital within the exposed spire of The Shard. Scanned from actor David Corenswet, it weighed more than 120kg. The striking spectacle represented an unprecedented moment for the iconic skyscraper in the UK.

A new Superman bounds onto the big screen
A new Superman bounds onto the big screen

Reuters

time10-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Reuters

A new Superman bounds onto the big screen

LOS ANGELES, July 9 (Reuters) - Actor David Corenswet feels a connection with the classic DC comic book character Superman that he portrays in the 2025 James Gunn directed film 'Superman.' The character Superman is known in the comic books for his identity problems, namely his double life as both a powerful superhero while also being an awkward reporter named Clark Kent who works at "Daily Planet." Corenswet is the latest actor to don the blue and red suit on the big screen, and he is still processing the weight of his new identity as the superhero. "As far as the moments of it hitting me that I'm playing Superman, I think saying the sentence out loud is the closest I get," he told Reuters. "But it still just sounds so ridiculous to me to say it out loud that, you know, it doesn't quite compute,' he added. "Superman," which arrives in U.S. movie theaters on Friday, follows Superman as he gets drawn into international politics as well as crossing swords with his billionaire nemesis Lex Luthor, played by Nicholas Hoult, monsters and other superpowered beings. The film has received high acclaim from early reviews on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes with a 88% rating. "What's best about Gunn's movie is its laser-focused on relatable characters. This is no puzzle piece in a universe or a loud series of action set pieces," Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post wrote. There was something special in Superman's wardrobe that brought Corenswet closer to the character. "The cape is the feeling that sort of pulls the whole thing together," he said. "When you walk in to the soundstage and you feel the cape billowing behind you, or you come to a stop in the cape, sort of twirls around you a little bit, you see your shadow on the wall and the silhouette of the cape, that's the sort of like," Corenswet said. "And I don't know whether it's because I always wanted to be a Jedi growing up, but man, I can't recommend the cape enough," he added. For Wendell Pierce, who plays the 'Daily Planet' editor Perry White, the movie goes past its fantastical elements and reminds people that Superman is still relatable. "That's the thing that we learned from Superman, that his true superpower is humanity," he said, emphasizing Clark Kent's life as a working journalist. "Superman" is the first film of the new Warner Bros (WBD.O), opens new tab and DC Universe partnership, led by Gunn. Upcoming projects include "Supergirl" and R-Rated horror film "Clayface". Anthony Corrigan, who plays Superman's ally Metamorpho, who can transform his body into any element, said that Gunn didn't just rely on Superman's popularity to engage audiences. 'If it's the right story, you know, it's not just resting on the IP and on the character, it actually has to have a vision and creative vision,' he said, emphasizing Gunn's dedication to only make movies out of good screenplays.

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