The ongoing debate over which Superman film—James Gunn’s 2025 reboot or Zack Snyder’s 2013 Man of Steel—holds greater appeal for audiences intensified this week following a notable social media moment. As conversations about James Gunn Superman box office figures grew online, Snyder appeared to acknowledge the discussion by engaging with a post contrasting the commercial performance of both films.
Snyder’s Social Media Engagement Brings Attention to Box Office Comparisons
In August 2025, an Instagram reel created by @badsantagamingg started circulating, spotlighting the differing worldwide grosses of James Gunn’s Superman and Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel. This post came just a month after Gunn’s Superman premiered, and within days, the reel’s straightforward caption—
“Just going to leave this here,”
—accentuated the direct comparison between the two DC projects.
The debate flared further when a fan account, @_DCCBRASIL, observed that Zack Snyder, the Man of Steel director, had liked the comparison reel from his officially verified Instagram profile. The reel dissected box office numbers and ticket pricing, drawing particular focus on shifts in financial performance for each movie.
Director Zack Snyder liked a post comparing Man of Steel and James Gunn Superman’s box offices.
This interaction by Snyder, who joined the platform in late September 2025, fueled speculation and discussion among fans. Despite the online stir, Snyder himself has not issued any public comments on the matter or addressed his social media engagement directly.
Box Office Analysis: Man of Steel vs James Gunn’s Superman
When analyzing global box office totals, Snyder’s Man of Steel, released in 2013, grossed $670.1 million worldwide. In comparison, Gunn’s Superman concluded its box office run at $616.7 million, marking a $53.4 million gap in favor of the earlier film. Notably, these figures do not account for inflation, which impacts a true dollar-to-dollar matchup given that Man of Steel’s average ticket price was $8.13, while Gunn’s Superman’s average ticket at Cinemark was $16.08.
The distribution of domestic and international ticket sales tells another side of the story. Domestically, the 2025 Superman starring David Corenswet outperformed the Henry Cavill-led Man of Steel, accumulating $354.1 million in the U.S. compared to the earlier film’s $291 million. International receipts, however, saw Man of Steel with a higher haul at $379.1 million versus the reboot’s $262.5 million, demonstrating the varied global reach of each movie.
Industry Response and DC Studios’ Next Steps
With James Gunn’s Superman declared profitable by Forbes in a November 2025 report, DC Studios has moved swiftly to capitalize on its box office momentum and streaming popularity. The movie’s strong performance facilitated the rapid push for a sequel, entitled Man of Tomorrow, which is slated to start principal photography in 2026. Returning cast members will include David Corenswet as Superman and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, with the new storyline revealing Brainiac as the primary antagonist. Fans will see Superman and Lex Luthor forced into an unexpected alliance to face this threat, expanding the DC cinematic universe.
Furthermore, the franchise’s reach is extending through a spinoff called DC Crime, which will focus on Jimmy Olsen—a character introduced in the 2025 Superman film. Both Superman and Man of Steel remain accessible for fans through streaming and home media options, ensuring continued interest and comparison among new and seasoned viewers alike.
What the Box Office Rivalry Means for DC’s Cinematic Future
The comparison between these two Superman films has heightened discussion within the DC fandom, especially as social media activity from figures like Zack Snyder stirs further attention and passion. As James Gunn’s Superman finds commercial and critical success, the groundwork is being laid for a new chapter in the DC Universe. With sequels and spin-offs underway, the rivalry between the two Superman visions is likely to persist, shaping debates, audience expectations, and strategies for DC Studios as the franchise moves ahead.
O diretor Zack Snyder deu like em um post comparando as bilheterias do filmes Man Of Steel e Superman de James Gunn 😮 pic.twitter.com/lnl0GjaWa2
— DC Brasil (@_DCCBRASIL) November 15, 2025
