Oops... Superman (2025) Just Beat Man of Steel — And Snyder Cult Math Can’t Save You
Let’s squash this nonsense once and for all.
For years, the Snyder cult has paraded Man of Steel’s box office like it was the crown jewel of comic book cinema. And now that Superman (2025) is flying high, they’re desperate to hold onto something,
anything
To downplay its success.
Their favorite line?
“Man of Steel made more money!”
Cute. But here’s the problem: you forgot to carry the decade.
Let’s talk facts
In 2013, the average comic book movie made about $602 million globally.
In 2025, that number’s down to just $450 million.
That’s a 25.25% drop in box office performance for the genre as a whole. Superhero fatigue, streaming, theater declines… the whole system’s shifted.
So if we’re gonna be fair, we need to adjust Man of Steel’s box office to today’s climate.
Average gross box office revenue of superhero movies worldwide from 2000 to 2024 | Source - statista.com
Now, let’s do the math
Man of Steel made $670 million in 2013.
Adjusted to today’s standards? That’s like making $501 million in 2025.
($670M × 0.7475 = $501M)
And what did Superman (2025) just pull in?
$506 million (and it's not done yet).
Translation
In today’s box office economy, Gunn’s Superman outperformed Man of Steel.
That’s not an opinion. That’s cold, hard math.
So no, the cult can’t spin this one.
Not with Twitter threads.
Not with angry livestreams.
Not even with a calculator running on wishful thinking.
Inflation Adjustment vs. Market Adjustment
When we talk about normal inflation, we’re usually adjusting for the value of money over time
EXAMPLE- How much $1 in 2013 is worth in 2025 dollars. See, this is about economics and purchasing power.
But what we’re doing here is not about money value.
This is about the market conditions for comic book movies, more specifically, how much money the average superhero film was making in 2013 vs. 2025.
That’s a genre specific market trend, not a currency inflation issue.
Inflation says
"If Man of Steel made $670 million in 2013, that’s around $890 million in 2025 dollars."
But that doesn’t mean a superhero movie would make $890 million today. Why?
Because the genre has declined.
The Real Decline Isn’t the Dollar… It’s the Audience
In 2013, superhero films were on fire. Big spectacles, crowded theaters, peak MCU momentum.
The average comic book movie made $602 million+.
Now? That average has dropped to $450 million or less. That’s a 25% audience shrink, even before you factor in rising ticket prices, competition from streaming, and the fatigue audiences have of horrible films.
So, even if Superman (2025) made “less money” than Man of Steel in unadjusted dollars, it did so in a smaller, weaker, more hostile market.
The Easy Way to Say It
Inflation adjustment: “How far does your dollar go?”
Market adjustment: “How far does your movie go in this climate?”
And Superman (2025) flew further… in MUCH MUCH worse weather.
So when the Snyder cult clings to those ridiculous inflation stats, just remind them of this,
"You’re adjusting for cash. We’re adjusting for reality."
And in reality, Superman just won
Bottom line
Superman (2025) beat Man of Steel in a weaker market.
This isn’t just a win
This is an elevated Victory.
Now go ahead and cry about it.
The rest of us DC Fans will be over here watching Superman actually be hopeful for once.
