Netflix’s Ted Sarandos admitted that the movie ‘Superman,’ directed by James Gunn, didn’t achieve the viewership numbers they’d hoped for, and he shared this information during a Senate hearing.
During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about Netflix and the planned merger of Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos surprisingly mentioned the upcoming Superman reboot directed by James Gunn while discussing movie releases and streaming services.
You can easily find the moment in question—it was part of a Senate hearing and is publicly available on YouTube. It starts around 1 hour, 16 minutes, and 17 seconds into the video.
Superman 2025 underperformed… this is coming from Ted Sarandos himself 🤷♂️
— Daniel Dami Biu (@damiebi10) February 3, 2026
Senator Cory Booker asked Netflix’s Ted Sarandos if movies backed by Netflix would play in theaters for the typical 45 days before becoming available on streaming or for rental. Booker specifically wanted to know if Netflix would guarantee this full 45-day theatrical release.
Sarandos responded clearly at first, saying, “Fully exclusive to theaters, yes.”
When Booker pressed Sarandos on whether the established timeframe was always adhered to, Sarandos offered a more telling response. He used Superman as an example of a film that didn’t fully meet the requirement while explaining how the rule actually works.
According to Sarandos, it’s typical for streaming services to adjust release windows based on a movie’s performance. While they generally aim for a 45-day window, films that don’t do well might have shorter releases, and successful ones could have longer. For example, ‘Superman’ had a shorter window, while ‘Sinners’ had a longer one, but they were still described as falling within that 45-day timeframe.
Sarandos’s comments confirmed existing industry speculation: Superman didn’t do well enough in theaters, leading Warner Bros. to end its cinema run and make it available for streaming sooner than planned.
The film became available for digital rental and purchase only 35 days after it premiered in theaters, a quicker release than the usual 45 days. This decision sparked some debate, particularly given the movie’s large budget – reports suggest it cost over $350 million – and its importance as the kickoff to James Gunn’s new DC Universe.
When Ted Sarandos specifically mentioned Superman in a comparison to another movie, it hinted that the studio believed the film didn’t meet expectations. Although Sarandos presented this as a common practice, it’s the first time a studio leader has publicly connected a shorter release in theaters for Superman to its disappointing results.
Superman had its premiere at the TCL Chinese Theater on July 7th and officially released in U.S. cinemas on July 11th, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It marked the beginning of the DCU’s first story arc, called Gods and Monsters, and ultimately earned $617 million globally, making it the tenth highest-grossing movie of 2025.
The film generally received positive reviews. Critics enjoyed its playful tone, vibrant visuals, and heartfelt story, although a few thought it attempted to cover too much ground. David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult all received strong praise for their acting.
Even though the movie did reasonably well in theaters and received mixed reviews, the quick shift from cinemas to streaming suggests trouble behind the scenes. Originally intended as the starting point for a major overhaul of DC films under James Gunn, Warner Bros. Discovery is now scaling back those plans to a smaller ‘Superman Family Saga,’ likely due to the company considering a sale.
A follow-up movie, currently called ‘Man of Tomorrow,’ is still planned for release in 2027. Additionally, a TV series focusing on characters from the existing film – including Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen – is being developed for HBO Max. It’s unclear if future DC projects will be as closely watched, but Ted Sarandos’ statements highlighted a key point: even a popular character like Superman isn’t guaranteed success if a film doesn’t live up to expectations.
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2026-02-04 11:14