Weekend Box Office Update: ‘Toy Story 5’ Leads, ‘Supergirl’ Faces Mixed Reviews
This weekend, Disney and Pixar’s ‘Toy Story 5’ continues to shine at the box office, expected to bring in over $70 million during its second weekend. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. and DC Studios’ new release, ‘Supergirl’, is projected to open at around $40 million, a significant dip considering its production budget falls between $170 million and $186 million. Experts suggest that superhero films may be losing some appeal due to mixed reviews of recent titles.
Globally, ‘Supergirl’ is estimated to have a starting weekend total of about $75 million. So far, it has made around $11 million from 78 markets and 40,000 screens. The film received a B- on CinemaScore, which is lower than several other DC films like ‘The Flash’ and ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Audience enthusiasm appears to be lacking, with only 52% of viewers indicating they would definitely recommend the film, a stark contrast to what’s typically expected from summer blockbusters.
Demographics show that 59% of male viewers gave a low recommendation score of 45%, whereas 62% of female viewers were somewhat more positive about the film. Initially, expectations had set the opening for ‘Supergirl’ above $50 million, reflecting the high hopes for its release.
As James Gunn and Peter Safran lead DC Studios in revamping the franchise, they face the challenge of connecting new titles like ‘Supergirl’ with a wide array of audiences. The film adapts the graphic novel ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow,’ aiming to tell a different story from past versions of the character. However, early reactions point to some dissatisfaction, particularly with creative decisions made by director Craig Gillespie.
Fan feedback from a press screening suggested that many were not impressed by the film’s stylistic references to movies like ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ as well as the portrayal of its antagonist. Despite Jason Momoa’s role as Lobo, some critics felt that the humor didn’t quite hit the mark.
The challenges faced by ‘Supergirl’ mirror a larger trend of hesitation surrounding female-led superhero films. This has been seen with films like ‘Captain Marvel,’ which received mixed responses, contrasted with the success of ‘Wonder Woman.’ Audience interest appeared varied; many fans attended primarily due to their loyalty to the franchise rather than a focus on lead actress Milly Alcock, who plays Kara Zor-El.
‘Supergirl’ opened just a year after ‘Superman’ and ahead of the upcoming sequel ‘Man of Tomorrow,’ which is set to release on July 9, 2027. The simultaneous release of ‘Toy Story 5’ surely impacted ticket sales, especially in premium formats like IMAX, which made up 23% of total sales, with large premium screens at 26%.
A look into the audience demographics reveals diversity in viewers, but engagement was notably low among those aged 25 and under. Warner Bros. aimed to attract this younger female demographic through a marketing partnership with beauty brand Ulta. The different box office performances of ‘Supergirl’ and ‘Toy Story 5’ may lead to deeper insights into audience preferences and the strategies film studios use to draw in viewers.
