When Superman hit theaters in July 2025, expectations were high. Directed by James Gunn and starring David Corenswet, the latest reboot of the iconic DC superhero opened to strong numbers and solid reviews praising its action and character work. The film marked one of DC’s most successful premieres in years, with a notable global opening that set it up as a contender for one of the year’s top earners. However, even this time Superman could not fly very high. 

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Despite positive critical reception and a strong opening weekend, Superman ultimately was unable to crack the top tier of 2025’s highest-grossing films worldwide. In a year dominated by animated fantasies and global phenomena, the Man of Steel found himself trailing far behind many unexpected competitors. Superman finished the year ranked ninth among the highest-grossing films of 2025, earning approximately $616 million worldwide. 

This placed it just above Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (which grossed about $599 million), but well below films that crossed the $1 billion mark; some even came close to $2 billion. 

The modest total underscores how stiff the competition was. Although Superman drew respectable audiences and held its own domestically, it lacked the international box office firepower that propelled other franchises to global dominance.

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So what kinds of films did eclipse a superhero staple like Superman? The year’s top performers combined broad global appeal, strong franchise recognition, and, in some cases, a surge in international market enthusiasm.

The biggest story of 2025’s box office was the overwhelming success of animated and fantasy adventure films. Leading the pack was Ne Zha 2, a Chinese animated sequel that became the year’s top-grossing film with nearly $2 billion worldwide, setting records along the way and topping all other releases globally. Close behind, Zootopia 2 cracked the $1.1 billion milestone, making it one of only a handful of films this year to surpass the billion-dollar mark. 

Disney’s Lilo & Stitch also joined the billion-dollar club with more than $1 billion in global box office, reinforcing the enduring market for animated family stories. Other fantasy and adventure entries like A Minecraft Movie (~$958 million) and Jurassic World: Rebirth (~$869 million) delivered huge global returns. 

Even titles outside traditional animation, such as Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, How to Train Your Dragon, and the motorsport drama F1: The Movie outpaced Superman. They tapped audiences with action, nostalgia, and cross-market appeal. In a year defined by breadth of audience tastes, the Man of Steel could not lift himself above animated blockbusters.

Despite solid performance and critical praise, Superman struggled to match 2025’s top earners, finishing well down the list amid animated and fantasy juggernauts.

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Which 2025 movie surprised you most at the box office? Share your thoughts and your own ranking below.