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‘Superman’ Is HBO Max’s Biggest Movie Launch Since ‘Barbie’

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It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a streaming smash: Superman, which performed more than fine in theaters, has continued to draw fans’ attention now that it’s on HBO Max.

As Variety reports, the James Gunn-directed, David Corenswet-starring Superman pulled in 13 million views in its first 10 days on the streamer. It earned “the platform’s biggest 10-day audience for a movie debut since Barbie began streaming in 2023.”

The trade doesn’t note the numbers for Barbie—the 2023 comedy is still Warner Bros.’ highest-grossing movie ever—but the studio has got to feel good about Superman‘s longevity with audiences.

What’s more, Variety reports that the Superman magic has rubbed off on other streaming features; Christopher Reeve in both documentary and narrative form got a bump, and even the Snyderverse got some love:

“During the week of Sept. 15-21, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story saw a 670% increase in streaming compared to the week before. Superman: The Movie jumped by 155%, Superman Returns jumped by 120%, and Man of Steel jumped 40% during the same window.”

What’s more, HBO Max’s Peacemaker series is currently heading into its final episodes (with a Superman movie star cameo just last week), and fan excitement continues to build for DC’s next big-screen outings in 2026’s Supergirl and 2027’s Man of Tomorrow. We may be waiting forever in vain for Barbie 2, but DC’s revamped era is looking more solid by the day.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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