Supergirl was supposed to get a second life on streaming. Instead, the numbers tell a tougher story. The second theatrical release of James Gunn’s DCU arrived in theaters on June 26, struggled at the box office, and landed on HBO Max on September 10. There it reached number one on the service, but the raw data paints a far less flattering picture.
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Supergirl: Numbers
According to Nielsen, Supergirl drew 304 million minutes in the U.S. during its first four days on HBO Max. That works out to about 2.8 million complete-runtime views, given the film’s roughly 108-minute length. Here’s how it compares with five films from the DC Extended Universe that were widely labeled flops.
| Film | Streaming Debut (Millions) | Supergirl Falls Below By | Box Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom | 9.0 | About 69% | $433M |
| Blue Beetle | 5.9 | Higher | Weak, but audience favorite |
| The Flash | 5.2 | About 46% | $270M |
| Black Adam | 5.1 | About 45% | $393M |
| Shazam! Fury of the Gods | 4.5 | Higher | $133.4M |
| Supergirl | 2.8 | n/a | $126.4M |
Breaking Down the Comparison
The Flash: It grossed $270 million worldwide and is remembered as a notorious bomb, yet it still pulled 5.2 million in its streaming debut. Like Supergirl, it hit HBO Max about two months after its theatrical release.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom: At 9.0 million, it’s the widest gap on the list. The first Aquaman earned over a billion, so its $433 million sequel counted as a disappointment, but it still had a huge built-in audience.
Blue Beetle: It earned 5.9 million despite a rough box office run during DC’s leadership change in 2023. It has a 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, and Xolo Maridueña returns in Man of Tomorrow.
Black Adam: It logged 5.1 million, even though it grossed $393 million against a reported budget as high as $260 million. Dwayne Johnson had promised it would usher in a new era for DC.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods: It posted 4.5 million, the closest to Supergirl, which makes sense since it earned just $133.4 million in theaters. Even so, it beat her.
Context Matters
There’s a fair caveat. Supergirl‘s figure covers only four days, while the other films’ numbers come from slightly longer windows. Still, all of them beat her in their first few days. On that week’s Nielsen movie chart, she placed fifth, behind Why Did I Get Married Again? at 908 million minutes and even a 2021 Angelina Jolie thriller at 323 million.
What It Means for the DCU?
The DCEU’s failures are the reason Warner Bros. brought in Gunn and Peter Safran to reboot DC. Superman delivered with $618 million, so Supergirl‘s weak run is a real setback, especially with Warner Bros. expected to change hands soon. There is good news, though. Lanterns pulled 525 million minutes in the same Nielsen week, Clayface has a reported $40 million budget, and Man of Tomorrow arrives July 9, 2027.
Want more DC and Marvel breakdowns? Keep exploring Techno Sports for your next read.
FAQs
How did Supergirl perform on HBO Max?
It drew 304 million minutes in its first four days, placing fifth on Nielsen’s movie chart.
Did Supergirl make less than The Flash?
Yes, she earned $126.4 million against The Flash‘s $270 million, and streamed 46% lower.
