Movie Story: The DC Cinematic Universe's Revival

Director James Gunn's "Superman" not only continued to hold the North American throne, but also surpassed the $400 million mark in global revenue, opening a new phase for the DC cinematic universe.

Director James Gunn's "Superman" continues to dominate the box office this past week, not only maintaining its position at the top of the North American box office but also officially surpassing the $400 million mark in global revenue. This is a spectacular boost, affirming the position of this superhero blockbuster.

According to estimates released by Exhibitor Relations on the evening of July 20, "Superman" earned $57.3 million in the US and Canada in just its second week of release.

The domestic cume now stands at $235 million, along with $171 million from international markets, bringing the film's global total to an impressive $406.8 million.

This is indeed a promising start for Warner Bros. and DC Studios' ambition to reboot the DC cinematic universe (based on DC Comics characters).

Despite a 54% drop in revenue from its opening weekend - a common decline for summer blockbusters, "Superman" still proved its enduring appeal.

With a production budget of up to 225 million USD, the film is not only expected to bring huge profits but also be the first "brick", laying a solid foundation for the 10-year DC Studios revival plan, under the talented leadership of the duo James Gunn and Peter Safran.

After "Superman", audiences will continue to be satisfied with "Supergirl" and "Clayface" scheduled to be released in 2026.

In second place in the North American box office chart last week, “Jurassic World: Rebirth” – the latest installment of the legendary dinosaur franchise – maintained its position with $23.4 million.

After 3 weeks of release, the film starring Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey and Mahershala Ali has grossed 648 million USD worldwide , continuing to affirm the timeless appeal of giant prehistoric creatures.

According to data firm Comscore, total revenue at North American theaters this summer reached $2.6 billion, up 15.9% compared to the same period last year. This is a welcome sign, showing that audiences are returning to theaters with more enthusiasm than ever.

However, the absolute dominance of the two "blockbusters" above has left many "newbies" feeling defeated when released in theaters last week.

First up is “I Know What You Did Last Summer” - the sequel to the 1990s horror film series, marking the return of the actor duo Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt. After 27 years, this brand seems to have lost its inherent magic.

The film grossed just $13 million, a disappointing number despite its modest $18 million budget. With a 38% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a C+ CinemaScore, the film is unlikely to recreate the magic of the original in 1997 ($72.6 million domestic).

Next up is “Smurfs,” the latest film about the adorable little green creatures. Despite Rihanna’s vocal performance as Smurfette, the film only grossed $11 million in North America.

Critics were merciless with a 21% positive score on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences were more lenient with a B+ from CinemaScore.

With a production budget of up to 58 million USD, "Smurfs" will have to rely heavily on international revenue - where the film has "collected" 22.6 million USD from 56 markets.

Top 10 highest-grossing movies in North America last week:

1. Superman - $57.3 million
2. Jurassic World Rebirth - 23.4 million USD
3. I Know What You Did Last Summer - 13 million USD
4. Smurfs - $11 million
5. F1: The Movie - $9.6 million
6. How to Train Your Dragon - 5.4 million USD
7. Eddington - $4.3 million
8. Elio - $2 million
9. Lilo & Stitch - $1.5 million
10. 28 Years Later - 1.3 million USD./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/cau-chuyen-dien-anh-cu-hich-hoi-sinh-cua-vu-tru-dien-anh-dc-post1050809.vnp