Just over a month after its theatrical debut,Supermanwill take flight onto digital platforms — and according to DC Studios co-CEOJames Gunn, the move has nothing to do with box office performance. This week, Gunn surprised fans by announcing thatSupermanwould hit digital onFriday, August 15, while adding in his social media post:“Or catch it while it’s still in theaters!”That phrasing strongly suggested the film’s run on the big screen is winding down after six weekends, during which it has soared toward$600 million globally.
When pressed on the decision in an interview withScreenRant, Gunn explained that the timing is all about making sure audiences can seeSupermanbeforePeacemakerSeason 2 lands on HBO Max onAugust 21— especially because the two projects are directly connected.
“Well, it’s very complicated, but the truth is it is because ofPeacemaker. I originally thoughtPeacemakerwas going to be coming out next month. There was a lot of things that are beyond our control, so thatPeacemakeris coming out now, and, at the end of the day, I wanted everyone to be able to seeSupermanthat wanted to, even those people who couldn’t get to a theater beforePeacemaker. And that’s really the reason for it.”
Gunn even revealed thatPeacemakerSeason 2was initially slated for September before its release date was moved up — a shift that may have forcedSuperman’s early digital bow. Trailers for the upcoming season have already teased appearances from the “Justice Gang” introduced inSuperman, with Gunn noting:
“Supermanleads into this show and then we have the setting up of all of the rest of the DCU in this season ofPeacemaker, it’s incredibly important. Lots of guest stars coming up, lots of characters that are showing up that we’ve already met inSuperman. I don’t think there’s anything that I’ve ever done that I love more than this season ofPeacemaker, so I’m so excited for people to see it.”
Why Is Superman Releasing Now?
Despite chatter about whetherSuperman’s earnings have met expectations, Warner Bros. recently touted it asthe highest-grossing Superman movie in U.S. historyat over $331 million domestically, as well as the top-grossing superhero film of the year. Gunn has pushed back on claims that it needed to clear $700 million to avoid flop status, calling that figure “complete and utter nonsense.”
“Is there something riding on it? Yeah, but it’s not as big as people make it out to be. They hear these numbers that the movie’s only going to be successful if it makes 700 million or something and it’s just complete and utter nonsense. It doesn’t need to be as big of a situation as people are saying.”
WithSupermanserving as the launchpad for Gunn andPeter Safran’snew DCU, the pipeline is already moving: next year bringsSupergirlstarringMilly AlcockandClayfacestarringTom Rhys Harries, plus theLanternsseries in 2026.
For now,Supermanwill be available on digital startingAugust 15, with 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD set forSeptember 23.
