Supergirl’s Debunked Budget Report Is A Sigh Of Relief For The DC Universe

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With the release of the DC Universe’s second film, Supergirl, just a year away, there’s a lot of anticipation about how it will perform. Following a brief appearance by Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El in Superman, excitement for her standalone movie has been steadily growing – exactly the response DC Studios was hoping for.

It’s too soon to predict how well the Supergirl movie will perform in theaters, but rumors about its production cost quickly appeared online. One report claimed DC Studios spent $200 million on the film. However, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn denied this, stating the reported budget is “not even a little bit true.”

Although the producer didn’t share the exact budget for Supergirl, he suggested it was much less than $200 million. This is encouraging news for the DC Universe, especially following the positive reception and box office success of Superman.

Supergirl’s Budget Positions The DC Universe For More Success

DC Studios is making a wise decision by aiming to keep the budget below $200 million. The recent Superman movie cost $225 million to make, and giving Supergirl – who isn’t as widely recognized in theaters, despite her popular TV series – a similar budget would have been a gamble. While Supergirl was a hit on The CW, Superman is a much bigger name for movie audiences.

DC Studios seems to have smartly decided to keep the budget for the Alcock film somewhat restrained, rather than aiming for a blockbuster-level cost. However, it won’t be cheap either. With confirmed characters like Supergirl, Lobo, and Krypto, and the overall scope of the project, a significant investment is still necessary.

The upcoming Supergirl movie is likely to have a budget similar to the first Guardians of the Galaxy, around $170 million, and could even be lower. A budget of about $150 million would still allow for a high-quality, blockbuster-level production and improve its chances of doing well in theaters.

Most people agree a movie needs to earn about 2.5 times its production cost to be considered a success in theaters – not counting money from things like streaming, merchandise, or other sources. If we estimate the cost of making Supergirl was around $170 million, then it would only need to gross $425 million to be considered a box office hit.

Even if Supergirl earns around 30% less at the box office than Superman, it would still be considered successful for DC Studios. If the production budget is around $150 million, the second movie in the DC Universe could earn 40% less than the first and still be profitable.

James Gunn is keeping a tight rein on the budgets for DC Studios projects – for example, the upcoming Clayface movie is estimated to cost only $40 million. While Warner Bros.’ potential sale plays a role, this is also a sensible financial strategy. By controlling costs on films like Supergirl, DC is improving its odds of success without needing every movie to be a massive blockbuster earning $800 million or $1 billion.

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2025-12-03 15:58