The highly anticipated Superman superhero film, a brainchild of James Gunn and Peter Safran's Warner Bros.-owned DC Studios, is set to soar onto HBO Max on September 19. This streaming premiere of the Gunn-directed blockbuster will be swiftly followed by its debut on HBO's linear channel on September 20.
With a staggering production budget of approximately $225 million (before marketing costs), Superman marks the inaugural release under the stewardship of Safran and Gunn, who are on a mission to inject fresh vitality into the DC brand for Warner Bros. Discovery. This cinematic spectacle has already made waves, amassing an impressive $615 million at the global box office this summer. It stands as the first DC release to surpass the $600 million mark since The Batman graced screens in 2022.
Gunn's comic book odyssey features a stellar cast, with David Corenswet donning the iconic cape as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan portraying the intrepid Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult embodying the criminal genius Lex Luthor. The ensemble is further enriched by Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Isabela Merced as the dynamic Hawkgirl, Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Anthony Carrigan as the shape-shifting Metamorpho, and Edi Gathegi as the brilliant Mister Terrific.
Gunn's cinematic masterpiece has garnered widespread acclaim from both critics and audiences, standing tall amidst stiff competition. Notably, it has outshone rival Marvel Studios, whose three 2025 offerings—The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Thunderbolts, and Captain America: Brave New World—have encountered challenges.
This film represents Gunn's maiden voyage into the DC film universe since he assumed command of Warner Bros.' superhero division alongside producer Safran in October 2022. Looking ahead, DC Studios has a slate of exciting projects in the pipeline, including HBO's Green Lantern series Lanterns and a much-anticipated Supergirl movie slated for release in 2026.
