Before Warner Bros. brought the long-awaitedBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justiceto theaters, there were rumors that the studio was worried about its performance and fan reaction. While the movie certainly wasn’tloved by critics, with just a paltry 28% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the superhero adventure has fared much better than many expected at the box office. The latest numbers fromBox Office Mojoreveal thatBatman v Supermanhas finally passed a beloved Marvel Cinematic Universe movie.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justicetook in an estimated $5.5 million in its fifth weekend, bringing its domestic total to $319.5 million. That tally puts it just above the $318.4 million domestic gross of Marvel’sIron Man, which kick-started the MCU back in 2008. IfBatman v Supermanwas in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, its current domestic tally would make it the fifth highest grossing movie in the franchise, behindGuardians of the Galaxy($333.1 million},Iron Man 3($409 million),Avengers: Age of Ultron($459 million) andThe Avengers($623.3 million).
Batman v Supermanhas also made $532.1 million from international markets, for a worldwide tally of $851.6 million. It remains to be seen if this superhero adventure will be able to cross the $1 billion global box office milestone, but it has already well surpassed its 2013 predecessor,Man of Steel, which made $291 million domestically and $377 million internationally for a worldwide tally of $668 million.Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justicealready set the record for the largest worldwideopening weekendfor a superhero movie, with $166 million domestically and $424 million worldwide.
Following his titanic struggle against General Zod,Metropolishas been razed to the ground and Superman is the most controversial figure in the world. While for many he is still an emblem of hope, a growing number of people consider him a threat to humanity, seeking justice for the chaos he has brought to Earth. As far as Bruce Wayne is concerned,Supermanis clearly a danger to society. He fears for the future of the world with such a reckless power left ungoverned, and so he dons his mask and cape to right Superman’s wrongs. The rivalry between them is furious, fueled by bitterness and vengeance, and nothing can dissuade them from waging this war. However, a dark new threat arises in the form of a third man: one who has a power greater than either of them to endanger the world and cause total destruction.
What will be interesting to see is whether or not this success can be carried over to the rest of the DCEU’s impending slate, such asSuicide Squad, hitting theaters August 5.Wonder Womanarrives on July 08, 2025, followed byJustice League Part 1, which just started shooting earlier this month in the U.K. While the DCEU certainly has a long way to go to attain the kind of success Marvel has had, the numbers coming in forBatman v Supermansurely indicate that the studio is headin in the right direction.
