A fun box office battle is brewing between “Superman” and “F1“: Which big-budget tentpole will be the first to cross $600 million in global ticket sales?
No matter the order, these milestones are impressive for two films that didn’t enter theaters as guaranteed hits. “Superman,” which has been a bigger draw domestically, is currently at $595 million after six weeks of release including $340 in North America. Meanwhile “F1,” which has displayed especially impressive stamina in overseas markets, has generated $590 million after eight weeks including $407 million internationally.
Over the weekend, “Superman” added $3.1 million overseas and $8.4 million globally. At this point, “Superman” is unlikely to surpass the haul of the character’s last solo outing, 2013’s “Man of Steel,” which flew to $670 million (not adjusted for inflation). However, the film’s reception represents a positive step forward for DC Studios, which has greatly struggled in recent years to achieve commercial consistency with its various comic book adaptations. Up next for the studio is 2026’s “Supergirl” and “Clayface.” James Gunn, who directed “Superman” in addition to running DC alongside Peter Safran, also recently announced he will tackle a new installment in the “Super-Family” though it’s unclear how exactly it’ll relate to the David Corenswet-led adventure that’s currently playing in theaters.
Also this weekend, “F1” collected $9.3 million internationally and $12 million worldwide. “F1” was considered a gamble because Apple spent above $250 million on the production budget alone and, as a fledgling studio, had yet to field a single commercial winner. Plus, “F1” — starring Brad Pitt as a has-been Formula One driver who un-retires after receiving a compelling offer — hails from the endangered species of original, adult-skewing tentpoles. The film recently became the highest grossing of Pitt’s career, overtaking the haul of 2013’s “World War Z” ($540 million, not adjusted for inflation).
In another noteworthy haul, “Weapons” is nearing $150 million after 10 days on the big screen. In its second weekend of release, the R-rated horror film generated $18.4 million from 73 international markets. So far, “Weapons” has amassed $59 million overseas and $148.8 million globally. It cost $38 million and marks the latest consecutive hit for Warner Bros. following “A Minecraft Movie,” “Sinners,” “Final Destination Bloodlines,” “Superman” and “F1” (which the studio distributed for Apple).
In terms of new releases, Universal’s action sequel “Nobody 2” opened to a soft $4.9 million from 47 markets. The film was slightly stronger in North America with $9.2 million for a global start of $14.1 million. Bob Odenkirk returns as cinema’s unlikeliest action hero in “Nobody 2,” which cost $25 million and won’t have a significant hurdle to achieve profitability.