Warner Bros.'s 'Supergirl' looking at massive $100M loss
What's the story
The Warner Bros. and DC Studios film Supergirl is projected to incur a loss of $100 million during its theatrical run, as per Variety. The movie, which stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl and was released on June 26, has been underperforming at the box office. Despite a production budget of $170 million and an additional $120 million spent on marketing, the film only earned $37.1 million in the US and $62.6 million globally in its opening weekend.
Box office challenges
Insiders believe breakeven point is closer to $300 million
Typically, a movie of Supergirl's scale needs to earn at least $375 million to break even. However, insiders close to the production believe its breakeven point is closer to $300 million because the cast and creatives don't have backend deals. Despite these hurdles, the film is expected to gross $100 million domestically and $200 million to $210 million worldwide over its lifetime.
Performance analysis
Film's performance disappointing compared to 'Superman's success
The film's performance is especially disappointing considering its predecessor, Superman, was a box office success. Superman earned $125 million in its opening weekend and went on to gross over $618 million globally. Supergirl's underperformance is also a setback for the newly rebooted DC Universe, which has been trying to establish itself with new characters and stories.
Studio perspective
DC Studios remains confident in long-term strategy
Despite Supergirl's underperformance, DC Studios remains confident in its long-term strategy. Peter Safran, co-head of DC Studios, told the New York Times that while the film didn't meet box office expectations, it's just one component of their broader plan. The studio's next release is Clayface on October 23, which has a modest $40 million production budget.