Following its third weekend since its June 26 debut, industry analysts warn the superhero film could finish its theatrical run with losses approaching or exceeding $100 million.
According to the latest weekend results from Box Office Mojo, the film saw a 58.6 percent drop in ticket sales from the week prior, failing to gain the momentum needed to break even in revenue.
The film, directed by Craig Gillespie and starring Milly Alcock, opened with approximately $37.1 million domestically and earned just $8.6 million in its second weekend, a decline of 76.8 percent.
Playing in 3,602 locations in North America, the film averaged roughly $2,387 per theater during its second weekend and $1,377 per theater this past weekend.
By the end of its second weekend, its domestic total reached $57.5 million, leaving the film well behind the pace typically needed for a production with a reported budget of about $170 million.
Industry experts point to several factors behind the underwhelming run, which include a crowded summer release calendar, mixed audience reception, and increasing competition from both theatrical and streaming service entertainment.
David A. Gross, president of movie consulting firm FranchiseRe, notes superhero films no longer dominate theaters the way they did prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, with annual releases becoming less frequent.
From its peak between 2017 and 2019, the genre is now generating roughly $3.5 billion less at the global box office annually.
“You’ll hear general explanations like ‘the audience lost interest.’ Yes, they did,” Gross said. ”But no one has been able to explain why it happened so suddenly and so completely. Why female superheroes in particular, after their sensational starts? We don’t understand it either.”
Set in the same rebooted DC Universe established by 2025’s “Superman,” the film follows Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin, as she embarks on a dangerous journey across the galaxy after leaving her home planet of Krypton behind.
“Supergirl’s” launch fell short in comparison to other intended DC blockbusters in recent years such as “The Flash,” which opened with $55 million in 2023, and “Green Lantern,” which earned $53 million during its 2011 debut.
The film narrowly outperformed “Joker: Folie à Deux,” which brought in $37.7 million during its opening weekend in 2024.
Meanwhile, “Superman,” directed by James Gunn, who also produced “Supergirl,” opened to a strong $125 million domestically before finishing its theatrical run with more than $618 million worldwide.
