'Superman' Goes Head-to-Head With Henry Cavill's 'Man of Steel' at the Box Office

Over a decade ago, hot off the success of Christopher Nolan‘s The Dark Knight trilogy, Warner Bros. set into motion a similarly grounded take on the most iconic piece of intellectual property it owned the rights to. It was decided that Superman should be rebooted with director Zack Snyder‘s Man of Steel, with Nolan on board as a producer. Snyder chose Henry Cavill to star in the central role, and delivered a movie that divided critics and audiences. Man of Steel was modestly successful at the box office, despite mixed reviews. The character has now been rebooted again, with director James Gunn‘s wildly different Superman. Funnily enough, it’s poised to gross almost exactly the same amount in its opening weekend as Man of Steel did all those years ago.

Prior to the film’s release, Gunn faced some backlash from the hardcore fans of Snyder’s movie, but he was confident that he’d survive. Snyder’s fans have developed a rather notorious reputation over the years, encouraged by their seemingly successful campaign to get his director’s cut of Justice League released, after the theatrical version was butchered by the studio. Plus, Gunn’s vibrant take on the character practically invites heated comparisons to Snyder’s darker signature tone. Nobody, however, could’ve predicted that the two movies would clash so closely with each other at the box office.

Man of Steel made $56 million on its opening day, and $116 million in its first weekend. Superman, on the other hand, grossed $56.5 million on day one, and is projected to generate around $115 million over the weekend. This number could increase, considering the positive reviews that the movie has earned. Its 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes is far higher than the 57% score that Man of Steel is sitting on. It also cost less, with a reported budget of $225 million, compared to Man of Steel‘s $258 million price tag.

Cavill Was Dropped As Superman In Favor of David Corenswet

Cavill returned as Superman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, but he was unceremoniously replaced as the character following a brief return in the film Black Adam. The new Superman movie is headlined by David Corenswet, alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The movie sidesteps the typical origin story format that has become a staple of the genre, and unfolds in a world that is already familiar with superheroes and Superman. Sequels and spin-offs have already been hinted at, put into production, or announced. You can watch Superman in theaters, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.