Dan Merl examines the box office performance of Zack Snyder's 'Man of Steel' versus James Gunn's 'Superman'. The debate among fans centers on which film is more successful, with differing opinions based on domestic vs. international gross and inflation adjustments.
Both movies had a budget of $225 million, and while exact marketing budgets are unknown, estimates place them close. 'Superman' leads domestically with $347.3 million, while 'Man of Steel' excels internationally with $379.1 million, giving it a greater worldwide gross. However, when adjusted for inflation, 'Man of Steel' surpasses 'Superman' domestically as well.
To determine profitability, Dan adjusts the costs for inflation, which places 'Superman' as a less expensive film due to lower marketing costs, attributed to efficient social media campaigns. Without adjusting for inflation, both films are close in theatrical losses, but inflation adjustments vary the results, slightly favoring 'Superman'. Despite box office losses, both films recuperated through licensing, home viewing, and tie-ins.
The analysis concludes neither film could be classified as a failure. The numerical deep dive reveals that public perception of each film's pitied box office success or failure isn't necessarily supported by the numbers when thoroughly examined.