Supergirl has taken flight with an $18 million opening day at the North American box office, but the DC Studios superhero film is expected to debut behind Pixar's Toy Story 5, which continues to dominate cinemas in its second weekend. Directed by Craig Gillespie and starring Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, Supergirl earned $7.8 million from Thursday previews before adding another $10.2 million on Friday, bringing its first-day total to $18 million.
Projected Weekend Performance
The film is currently projected to open with between $45 million and $50 million domestically over the weekend. Despite the solid debut, the comic book adventure is not expected to dethrone Toy Story 5, which is on course to earn a further $75 million to $85 million in its second weekend after launching with a franchise-record $160 million domestically.
Supergirl's Place in the DC Universe
Supergirl marks the second theatrical release in the rebooted DC Universe following the success of James Gunn's Superman. The film follows Kara on a darker, more personal journey than previous screen adaptations, with Alcock joined by Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley and Jason Momoa, who makes his DC Universe debut as Lobo.
Critical Reception and Box Office Outlook
The film has received generally positive reviews, with critics praising Alcock's performance and the movie's emotional tone, though its opening falls short of the stronger box office start achieved by Superman last year. Meanwhile, Toy Story 5 continues to benefit from strong family attendance and positive word of mouth. The Pixar sequel has become the biggest domestic opening of 2026 and is expected to remain comfortably at the top of the box office before fresh competition arrives in the coming weeks.
Long-Term Prospects
While Supergirl is set to secure a respectable second-place debut, its long-term performance will depend on audience reception and its ability to hold against a packed summer release schedule.
