‘Justice League’ Is Officially The Lowest-Grossing DCEU Movie
No one could’ve predicted this, butJustice Leaguehas ended its theatrical run as the lowest-grossing DCEU film to date. EvenSuicide Squadsomehow made more money than DC’s huge superhero team-up film. So what happened with theJustice Leaguebox office?
While Iwasn’t a fanofJustice League, I was all-but-sure that the film would do well at the box office. I was wrong.Justice Leaguehas ended its domestic run with $229 million at the domestic box office, bringing it to a grand total of $657 million worldwide. AsScreenCrushpoints out, this makesJustice Leaguethe lowest-grossing film in the DCEU.Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justiceremains the top-grosser, with $873,634,919.Wonder Womancomes in second at $821,847,012. EvenSuicide Squad, a film that isgod-awfuland ten-timesworsethanJustice League, made more money, with $746,846,894.
If that wasn’t embarrassing enough, here’s anotherJustice Leaguebox office tidbit for you.
Last week, JUSTICE LEAGUE tapped out domestically with$229M, barely squeezing past Will Smith’s drunk, homeless and unknown superhero, HANCOCK, which delivered$227Mback in 2008, or$291Mwhen adjusted for inflation.
— Exhibitor Relations Co. (@ERCboxoffice)August 18, 2025
What Went Wrong With Justice League?
So what happened? While some DCEU fans might want to point fingers at critics and say the bad reviews on Rotten Tomatoes killedJustice League, that can’t be true.Justice Leaguecurrently sits at40% on Rotten Tomatoes. In contrast, theabysmalDCEU filmSuicide Squadhas a 26%on RT, and yet it somehow made more money.
This is truly leaving me puzzled. How did a film featuring Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman fare so poorly at the box office? The best answer I can think of: marketing.Suicide Squad, while disappointing, had killer marketing. Ihatedthe film, but I’ll freely admit the trailers were very entertaining. So entertaining, in fact, that they made me hope that the end result would be a pleasant surprise.
The marketing forJustice League, however, left a lot to be desired. For one thing, the tone of the trailers was all over the place. After the success of the hopeful, upliftingWonder Woman, DC and Warner Bros. realized that they needed to steer the dark and dreary tone of the DCEU towards the light. As a result, the various trailers forJustice Leaguetried to balance the dark and gritty look of the film with light-hearted jokes – jokes that ultimately fell flat. It gaveJustice Leaguean unbalanced, confusing atmosphere.
Henry Cavill’s Superman died at the end ofBatman v Superman, and while everyone and their mother knew the character would return forJustice League, the bulk of the marketing kept the character out of sight. On one level, I get why this was done. Someone, somewhere, thought that keeping Supes out of the trailers would make his reemergence inJustice Leagueseem more powerful. But it didn’t work. Instead, it just left a big, Superman-sized hole in all the marketing. PeoplewantSuperman on the big screen – now more than ever. They need the hope that that character brings. Alas, the marketing department forJustice Leaguenever got that.
