James Gunn breaks silence on 'Superman' box office run

James Gunn recently commented on the Superman's performance both domestically and internationally since its release on July 8.

Gunn told Rolling Stone, “We’re definitely performing better domestically than we are internationally, but internationally is also rising and having really good weekday numbers in the same way we are.”

“So obviously the word of mouth is very positive both here and everywhere else. Which is the thing that we needed to do the most,” he added.

According to DC Studios' co-CEO, while countries like Brazil and the U.K. are showing strong numbers, the global recognition of Superman varies widely. “Superman is not a known commodity in some places. He is not a big known superhero in some places like Batman is. That affects things,” he explained.

He also noted the sentimental role it might play, “There is a certain amount of anti-American sentiment around the world right now. It isn’t really helping us.”

Still, Gunn remains optimistic, viewing this as the beginning of a larger vision. “This is just the seed of the tree that Peter [Safran] and I have been watering for the past three years,” he said. “To be able to have it start off so positively has been incredibly overwhelming.”

Gunn has previously described Superman as “the story of America,” adding, “An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country, but for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.”

For those unversed, Superman has earned a robust $253 million domestically, while its international gross stands at $173 million , bringing its global tally to an impressive $426 million.