Why Supergirl Crashed at the Box Office

Key Points:

• DC’s “Supergirl” opened to a disappointing $37-38 million domestic weekend against a $170 million budget, failing to attract its target Gen Z female audience, with 59% of viewers being male and 65% over 25 years old.
• The film received mixed reviews, earning a B- CinemaScore and middling critic scores, signaling weak word-of-mouth and making it unlikely to break even theatrically.
• “Supergirl”’s poor performance highlights the waning interest in superhero movies, especially among younger audiences, suggesting studios may need to reserve big budgets for top-tier characters like Superman and Batman while experimenting with smaller-scale projects for others.
• In contrast, Disney/Pixar’s “Toy Story 5” is thriving with a $73 million second weekend and nearing $300 million domestically, demonstrating strong broad appeal and family audience engagement.
• DC’s future under James Gunn and Peter Safran remains uncertain after this setback, though upcoming projects like the lower-budget horror-themed “Clayface” indicate a strategic shift toward more diverse and creative storytelling within the franchise.