‘Supergirl’ Stumbles in Box Office Debut, ‘Toy Story 5’ Remains No. 1

“Supergirl” is struggling to take flight at the box office. The comic book adaptation, a space adventure revolving around Superman’s cousin, debuted to a disappointing $38 million from 3,600 North America theaters and $68 million globally.

Heading into the weekend, the Warner Bros. and DC Studios film was targeting a domestic start around $50 million to $55 million, which already would have been a soft launch for such a big-budget tentpole. Initial ticket sales are concerning for the studio because the movie’s polarizing reception, as well as the intense competition during the peak of summer movie season, could limit its theatrical staying power. That would be a problem because “Supergirl” carries a substantial $170 million price tag, not including the mega marketing budget. Although economics vary from studio to studio, a movie of this size would need to earn at least $375 million to break even since cinema owners get to keep roughly half of revenues.

Critics didn’t like “Supergirl,” which holds a 56% on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences appear mixed, with a “B-” grade on CinemaScore exit polls. Milly Alcock plays Supergirl, who travels through the cosmos with her trusty pup Krypto the Superdog. When she encounters an alien girl named Ruthye, she reluctantly joins her on a quest for vengeance and justice. Craig Gillespie, best known for “I, Tonya” and “Cruella,” directed the film from a script by Ana Nogueira (“The Vampire Diaries”).

“Supergirl” arrives a year after “Superman,” which rebooted the DC Universe under the direction of James Gunn and Peter Safran. That film, starring David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, ignited to $125 million and ended its run with $618 million, a decent result at a time when superhero movies have been worryingly Earth-bound. After the debut of “Superman,” Warner Bros. Discovery’s CEO David Zaslav championed the “bold 10-year plan” of the new DC Universe,…