'Justice League' Ends Theatrical Run Officially As Lowest-Grossing DC Universe Film Worldwide

As “Justice League” hits Blu-ray, the four-month, global theatrical run for the superhero blockbuster has finally come to a close. During that time, the Warner Bros. film grossed $657.9 million worldwide, making it the lowest-grossing film at the box office out of five DC films. While $678 million sounds like a massive number, keep in mind that this film still won’t turn a profit after its theatrical run.

With the departure of director Zack Snyder, and subsequent massive reshoots by “Avengers” helmer Joss Whedon, “Justice League” was purportedly shot on a budget of $300 million. Factor in the cost of marketing, which is well over $100 million, and you end up with a film that definitely didn’t reach profitability during its theatrical run. Remember, when considering if a film is profitable, you have to take the production budget, plus the marketing, and double it. This is because theaters take approximately half the box office gross. However, it’s especially concerning when you compare “Justice League” it the rest of the recent DC films.

REACH MORE: ‘Justice League’: Overworked, Exhausting Superhero Spectacle Never Comes Together [Review]

So far, Warner Bros./DC has released five films in their current universe. Of those films, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” leads the way with a worldwide gross of $874 million, followed closely by “Wonder Woman’s” $822 million. From there you have “Suicide Squad” with $747 million, and 2013’s “Man of Steel” with $668 million. So, how could a film that combines the likes of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman gross so much less than their solo films? There were a few different factors.

Perhaps Justice League was doomed from the start. There was already a lot of drama surrounding the production when Zach Snyder announced his departure from the project due to the death of his daughter (however, recent reports suggest he was fired and the studio agreed to part ways amicably), and Whedon had to step in. Originally planned as a two-part epic, the film was quickly turned into a single film after some concerns with ‘Batman v Superman’s’ critical and fan reception. Then there were the massive reshoots, due to Snyder’s original film being “unwatchable,” according to rumors.

Following the troubled production, the marketing for the film was looked at as lackluster. Superman, who was clearly in the film because of extensive behind-the-scenes photos featuring Henry Cavill, was left out of all marketing, as they tried to preserve the “surprise.” Then, there’s the issue of “mustache-gate.” It’s never good when your marquee superhero film is plagued by memes and discussion about the horrible special effects work on getting rid of facial hair.

Oh yeah, and the movie just wasn’t good.

All those factors left WB/DC with a movie that grossly underperformed at the box office, and put the studio in a bit of a bind. Even with a box office big hitter like Whedon, Warner Bros. must bank on merchandise, DVD, Blu-ray, and VOD sales to hopefully see a profit on “Justice League.” And not just that, the future of the entire WB/DC superhero universe is now in flux.

But hey, at least they have “Wonder Woman,” right?