James Gunn’s Superman has landed with an 82% “Certified Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes from 346 reviews, a significant and necessary victory for the recently formed DC Studios. As the foundational film for a completely rebooted cinematic universe, Superman carried the immense pressure of setting a new standard for quality and winning back the trust of a skeptical audience. So, for co-CEOs Gunn and Peter Safran, this strong critical approval is the first tangible evidence that their new creative direction can succeed, providing a stable platform from which to launch their interconnected slate of upcoming projects. Even without taking anything else into account, Superman‘s RT score already establishes a baseline of quality that was desperately needed after the turbulent final years of the previous franchise.
By securing an 82% rating, Gunn’s Superman has become the best-reviewed live-action film starring the character in over forty years. Its score is closely aligned with the beloved classic Superman II, which holds an 88% rating, and the genre-defining Superman: The Movie and its 86% score. This achievement firmly separates the new film from the divisive 21st-century versions and connects it directly to the era that made the hero a global icon.
Following the classic era, modern attempts to revive the hero have struggled to find widespread critical favor. Bryan Singer’s 2006 film, Superman Returns, earned a respectable 72% score but was perceived as commercially underwhelming and failed to launch a new series. The subsequent Snyder-led films departed radically in tone, and while they cultivated a passionate fanbase, their darker interpretation of the character alienated a large segment of both critics and the general audience, as reflected in their poor Rotten Tomatoes scores. As such, Superman’s good reception elevates fans’ trust that the new DCU can redeem the errors of Warner Bros. Discovery’s prior attempt at a shared DC universe, the defunct DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
Superman’s RT Score Is Miles Better Than the DCEU
Warner Bros. Discovery’s prior attempt at a shared DC universe was plagued by a divisive critical reception from its inception. The foundational films, Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, earned polarizing scores of 57% and 28% respectively. This lack of a unified critical consensus created a fractured foundation for the entire franchise, leading to years of reactionary course corrections, inconsistent tones between films, and a general sense of creative instability that left many viewers disengaged.
Even the DCEU’s certified hits often felt like exceptions rather than the rule. Wonder Woman, for instance, was a massive success with a 93% score, but the universe failed to maintain that level of critical reception, with its direct sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, sinking to 58% approval. The franchise ultimately concluded with a series of critical and commercial disappointments, including The Flash, which landed with a mixed 63% score before failing at the box office. This history cemented the need for the hard reboot that Superman represents, with its score becoming a powerful statement that the new DCU is starting fresh, with a clear focus from the outset. However, a positive critical reception is only the first milestone Superman needs to achieve to ensure the DCU will live on.
Will Superman‘s Positive RT Score Translate into Box Office?
Despite this critical achievement, Superman enters a challenging theatrical market. The superhero genre, once the most reliable force at the box office, has shown signs of audience fatigue in recent years. Marvel Studios’ Phase 5 exemplified this struggle, with films like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (47%), The Marvels (54%), and Captain America: Brave New World (51%) all receiving poor reviews and delivering disappointing box office returns. More concerning, Thunderbolts succeeded with critics by earning an 88% score but failed to connect with broad audiences, resulting in a commercial failure with a meager $371 million worldwide gross. This proves that in the current climate, positive reviews are not a guarantee of financial success.
DC’s own history reinforces this lesson. The studio’s best-reviewed film of the modern era, The Suicide Squad, holds a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes but earned only $168 million globally. Its failure can be attributed to several factors, including an R-rating that limited its audience and a simultaneous release on the HBO Max streaming service during the pandemic, which cannibalized ticket sales. Still, the disappointing commercial result of The Suicide Squad remains a fact. Conversely, Aquaman became a massive blockbuster, grossing over $1.152 billion worldwide with a modest 65% critical score.
For the new Superman, this history suggests that its 82% rating is an invaluable asset but not a definitive predictor of its final box office take. However, Superman has a key advantage that both Thunderbolts and The Suicide Squad lacked: unparalleled brand recognition. Unlike the lesser-known rosters of the other films, Superman’s iconic status provides a massive built-in advantage to attract a mainstream audience, giving the film its best possible chance to convert critical acclaim into a commercial blockbuster. As such, the strong score provides the film with its best possible chance for success by generating positive buzz and assuring audiences of its quality.
Superman is currently available in theaters.
What do you believe is the most important factor for a superhero film’s success today: critical reviews, audience word-of-mouth, or brand loyalty? Let us know in the comments.
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