Why Superman (2025) Just Schooled Snyder’s DC Films at the Box Office
Snyder fans love to throw around raw box office totals like they’re championship belts.
“BvS made $874 million!” they’ll shout, as if that automatically means it was a smash success.
But here’s the cold, hard truth, James Gunn’s Superman (2025)… which didn’t even crack Snyder’s grosses… still ended up more profitable than both Man of Steel and Batman v Superman.
That’s right. Gunn’s Superman quietly walked into the ring and outscored Snyder’s “heavy hitters” on the judges’ cards.
The Numbers Game Snyder Fans Don’t Want to Hear
Superman (2025): ~$613M worldwide (so far), ~$225M budget → $125M profit.
Man of Steel (2013): ~$668M worldwide, ~$225M budget → $43M profit.
Batman v Superman (2016): ~$874M worldwide, ~$250M budget → $106M profit.
So while the Snyder Bros. were chest thumping “look how big my gross is”,
Gunn’s Superman actually put more money in DC Studios/Warner Bros.’ pockets.
Crazy thing too, profit is the scoreboard that actually matters… not the flashy totals Snyder fans like to tattoo on their timelines.
Why the Math Works Against Snyder
Here’s what a lot of people don’t get.
Studios ACTUALLY keep about 50% of ticket sales in North America, but only around 40% internationally.
Snyder’s films leaned heavily on overseas audiences, which made their grosses look big but their profits itty bitty.
Gunn’s Superman? Completely different story.
It pulled in more than $350M domestic, where DC/WB gets the fattest slice of the pie. That’s why a $613M (and counting) SUPERMAN can embarrass a $874M Batman v Superman in profitability.
When the dust clears, Gunn’s film walks away with the title belt.
INFLATION SMISHSMLATION
Even after adjusting for inflation, Gunn’s Superman still comes out on top.
Man of Steel’s $43M profit in 2013 dollars would be about $58M today… OOF!
Batman v Superman’s $106M profit in 2016 rises to roughly $137M in 2025 money.
But because Snyder’s movies were so much more expensive and leaned international, the margins shrink fast. And Gunn’s Superman, with its $125M profit in 2025 dollars, effectively ties or even edges out BvS once inflation is factored in… without Batman, Wonder Woman, or the Justice League hype machine propping it up.
In other words, the reboot didn’t just beat Man of Steel handily, it stood toe to toe with Snyder’s supposed juggernaut and still walked away looking stronger.
The Real Lesson Here
Man of Steel barely cleared $40M in theatrical profit… basically a rounding error for a film that cost nearly half a billion with marketing.
BvS fared better but still underwhelmed, with about $106M profit despite being billed as the ultimate superhero showdown.
Meanwhile, Gunn’s SUPERMAN… without Batman, without Wonder Woman, without a billion hashtags of “unite the seven”… walked away with a cool $125M in profit. Cha-Ching!
Why This Matters for DC’s Future
The Snyder era was all about swinging big and hoping the box office headlines covered the bruises.
But Gunn’s SUPERMAN proved that Warner Bros. doesn’t need billion dollar grosses to win.
They need smart budgeting, strong domestic turnout, and a movie people actually want to see more than once.
So the next time someone tries to flex Snyder’s box office totals, remind them this… numbers don’t lie, but fans do.
Gunn’s Superman didn’t just save the DCU… it saved WB’s bottom line, and it did it while handing Snyder’s films a quiet but brutal financial smackdown as they drifted into obscurity.
