Superman's opening weekend at the box office was both good and bad, depending on how you look at it

James Gunn's DCU is off to a good start in the US as Superman beats its box office predictions, but the new superhero movie had a slightly disappointing start elsewhere.

The movie made $122 million at the US box office, which beats DC Studios' prediction of $100 million and makes it the third-biggest opening weekend of the year after Lilo and Stitch and A Minecraft Movie, which made $162 million and $146 million, respectively.

However, the prediction for the international box office was also $100 million, but the actual figure fell slightly short at $95 million. "Superman has always been identified as an American character, and in some parts of the world, America is currently not enjoying its greatest popularity," movie consultant David A. Gross told Variety. With a worldwide total of $217 million, though, things are still looking up (pun intended) for Big Blue.

Superman stars David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Clark Kent's love interest and The Daily Planet colleague Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as his nemesis Lex Luthor. The cast also includes Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, and Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner.

The movie is the first theatrical installment in Gunn and Peter Safran's DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. And there's much more to come, with reports that three movies and multiple TV shows are planned per year, leading to a new Justice League movie.

Superman is out now in theaters. For more on the movie, check out our Superman review or our spoiler-filled guide to the Superman ending explained.