Box Office: Supergirl Opens to $18 Million on Friday, Lands in Second Place for DC

DC’s latest theatrical release got off the ground with a modest start. Warner Bros. and DC Studios’ Supergirl earned $18 million domestically on opening day, including preview screenings, from 3,602 theaters in North America. The film went on to open to about $38 million domestically and roughly $68 million globally, finishing behind Pixar’s Toy Story 5 in its debut weekend.

That makes Supergirl the second theatrical release in the rebooted DC Studios era under James Gunn and Peter Safran. The movie stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El / Supergirl and was directed by Craig Gillespie. It opened in the U.S. on June 26, 2026, with international rollout beginning in most territories on June 24.

A softer-than-hoped-for start

While an $18 million first day is not a disaster in absolute terms, industry coverage framed it as a softer-than-expected launch for a comic-book movie carrying DC branding. By the weekend, projections and estimates had settled in the $38 million to $41 million range domestically before the final weekend estimate landed closer to $38 million, well below the stronger early tracking from earlier in the month.

Competition also played a major role. Toy Story 5 stayed No. 1 in its second weekend with about $70 million domestic and another $89.1 million overseas, leaving Supergirl to open in second place. That made for a tough environment for a new DC title trying to build opening-weekend momentum.

Opening box office snapshot

These figures are based on opening-day and opening-weekend reporting from industry and trade outlets.

What the result means for DC

The result matters because Supergirl was meant to continue the momentum of DC Studios’ new era after 2025’s Superman. Instead, the early box office suggests the movie may face a steeper climb to profitability and long-term cultural impact. TheWrap reported the film was carrying a reported $170 million budget, which raises the pressure on international performance and week-to-week holds.

That said, the film was never expected to match the scale of a top-tier Superman or Batman launch. It is centered on a less commercial character and adapted from a more niche comic run, which may partially explain the lower turnout. Even so, the opening is being compared unfavorably in some trade analysis to prior underperforming superhero releases, which is not the comparison DC would have wanted.

Cast and creative team

The film is led by Milly Alcock as Supergirl / Kara Zor‑El, with Matthias Schoenaerts as Krem and Eve Ridley as Ruthye. The supporting cast also includes David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, Jason Momoa, and David Corenswet. Craig Gillespie directs from a script by Ana Nogueira.

Main cast at a glance

These cast details have been widely cited in release-week coverage and cast roundups.

Can Supergirl recover?

The next question is whether Supergirl can stabilize in coming weeks. Strong word of mouth, premium-format sales, and overseas play could help soften the impact of a weak-ish opening. But if the movie posts a sharp second-weekend drop, the conversation around it will likely shift from “slow start” to “box-office disappointment.” For now, the opening-day figure tells the clearest story: Supergirl got airborne, but not at the altitude DC likely wanted.

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