Superman Isn't Just HBO Max's Biggest Movie Launch Since Barbie, It Caused Streaming for All Things Superman — Including Zack Snyder's Man of Steel — to Spike

Superman got disconnected to a flyer connected HBO Max, with a whopping 13 cardinal views successful 10 days.

According to Variety, that makes the DC Universe kickstarter the biggest HBO Max movie motorboat since 2023’s blockbuster, Barbie.

James Gunn’s movie launched connected HBO Max connected September 19, and, Warner Bros. said, sparked renewed involvement successful each things Superman. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, for example, saw a 670% summation successful streaming week connected week. 1978's Superman: The Movie, the archetypal of 4 Superman films to prima Christopher Reeve successful the rubric role, accrued 155%. Superman Returns, Bryan Singer's 2006 effort starring Brandon Routh, roseate 120%. And Zack Snyder’s 2013 DCEU opener Man of Steel starring Henry Cavill jumped 40%.

Superman deed HBO Max aft a theatrical tally that generated $615 cardinal astatine the planetary container office, making it the archetypal and apt lone superhero movie of 2025 to walk $600 million. Most of that wealth was made successful North American theaters (Gunn has offered his thoughts connected wherefore Superman did amended domestically than internationally).

Last month, Gunn made the astonishment announcement that Superman would spot its integer merchandise connected Friday, August 15 — conscionable implicit a period aft the movie launched successful theaters. Gunn blamed this comparatively aboriginal location merchandise connected HBO Max TV bid Peacemaker Season 2, which follows connected straight from the events of Superman and serves arsenic a prequel to Gunn’s Superman follow-up, Man of Tomorrow.

Gunn has present revealed the archetypal details connected Man of Tomorrow, confirming “it’s arsenic overmuch a Lex movie arsenic it is simply a Superman movie.” It looks apt the villain this clip astir is Brainiac.

Shooting begins successful April 2026 up of the film’s planned July 9, 2027 merchandise day — conscionable 2 years aft Superman came out. "It's gonna beryllium retired successful 2 years, July 9, 2027, which is simply a comparatively abbreviated clip betwixt sequels, due to the fact that we knew instantly wherever we were going," Gunn explained.

"And it is simply a communicative astir Lex Luthor and Superman having to enactment together, to a definite degree, against a much, overmuch bigger threat. And it's much analyzable than that. It's arsenic overmuch a Lex movie arsenic it is simply a Superman movie. I subordinate to the quality of Lex Luthor, sadly."

You tin cheque retired IGN’s ain speculation successful our feature, Man of Tomorrow: What Do We Know About the Plot and Villain of James Gunn's Superman Sequel?

Before Man of Tomorrow, 2026 volition spot Supergirl, Lanterns, and Clayface each travel retired arsenic portion of the continuing DCU.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].