'Supergirl' Collapses 74% in Second Weekend as 'Young Washington' Averages Nearly Three Times More Per Theater
Warner Bros.' "Supergirl" posted a 74% drop from its first weekend to its second, lifting total domestic gross to $58.4 million against a combined production and marketing outlay the source estimates at roughly $275 million. The decline came despite the Independence Day holiday, with Saturday grosses falling to an estimated $2.6 million, down 77% from the prior Saturday. Angel Studios' "Young Washington," budgeted at $20 million, opened the same frame to an estimated $21 million.
Key takeaways
- Warner Bros.' 'Supergirl' fell 74% in its second weekend, bringing its total domestic gross to $58.4 million against an estimated $275 million in combined production and marketing costs.
- Angel Studios' 'Young Washington,' made for $20 million, opened to an estimated $21 million with a per-theater average of $7,721 — nearly three times 'Supergirl's' $2,665.
- Analysts estimate 'Supergirl' would need a global gross of $450 million to $500 million to break even, but domestic receipts may fall short of $80 million.
- 'Supergirl,' directed under James Gunn's DC Studios and starring Milly Alcock, opened to just over $37 million against May tracking of roughly $65 million.
- The second-weekend data leaves Warner Bros. facing potential losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the source.
Warner Bros.' "Supergirl" posted a 74% drop from its first weekend to its second, lifting total domestic gross to $58.4 million against a combined production and marketing outlay the source estimates at roughly $275 million. The decline came despite the Independence Day holiday, with Saturday grosses falling to an estimated $2.6 million, down 77% from the prior Saturday. Angel Studios' "Young Washington," budgeted at $20 million, opened the same frame to an estimated $21 million.
Box Office Figures and Break-Even Math
"Supergirl," directed under James Gunn's DC Studios mandate at Warner Bros., carried an estimated production budget of approximately $175 million. The studio's marketing spend is estimated at least $100 million on top of that. Industry expectations as recently as May had pegged the opening weekend at roughly $65 million; the film delivered just over $37 million. Analysts tracking the film have estimated a global gross of $450 million to $500 million would be required for the project to break even. On current trajectory — with third-weekend grosses potentially falling to $2.49 million by the source's projection — total domestic receipts may fall short of $80 million.
'Young Washington' Contrast
Angel Studios released "Young Washington," a film about George Washington's early military career, into 2,700 theaters. Its first-weekend estimate of $21 million produced a per-theater average of $7,721. "Supergirl," playing a far wider release, averaged $2,665 per theater over the same period. The low-budget film drew middling notices from critics but a 92% positive audience score, according to the source. The question of whether "Young Washington" could ultimately outgross "Supergirl" domestically is now a live one, the source noted.
DC Studios Context
Gunn took over DC Studios at Warner Bros. following the model established by Kevin Feige at Marvel Studios, aiming for a unified creative vision across the franchise. The 2025 "Superman" release drew acceptable if underwhelming reviews and box office, per the source's characterization. "Supergirl," starring Milly Alcock, was positioned as the more consequential test of whether the rebooted DC brand carried commercial weight. Pre-release tracking had already signaled softness, and Alcock's press-tour remarks drew backlash that, by the source's account, suppressed potential audience turnout. The second-weekend data leaves Warner Bros. facing what the source describes as potential losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars.