Superman has leapt into U.S. cinemas with an estimated $21 million in Thursday-night previews, out-pacing any previous James Gunn superhero release and immediately raising hopes that Warner Bros.’ first film in its revamped DC Universe can restore a faltering franchise.

Domestic projections for the opening frame range from $115 million to $135 million, according to exhibition-tracking service Boxoffice Pro, while some studio insiders temper expectations at “$100-plus.” Rival forecasts put the Amazon-boosted pre-sales in line with the $118 million bow of Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

At a reported production cost of $225 million—and with marketing spend approaching $200 million—the feature must top roughly $500 million worldwide to break even and closer to $700 million to be deemed a hit, an agent told The Wrap. Early overseas tracking points to a $200 million debut across 78 territories, buoyed by strong pre-sales in China.

The record preview eclipses Gunn’s own $17.5 million start for Guardians Vol. 3 and trails only Barbie’s $22.3 million among recent summer tentpoles, underscoring renewed audience appetite after months of superhero fatigue.

Warner Bros.’ marketing blitz—headlined by a trailer that drew more than 250 million online views and a month-long global press tour—has helped the film secure roughly a third of all domestic showtimes. Fresh reviews stand at 85 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and advance screenings for Prime members added more than $20 million to the till before opening day.

“This is a monumental moment for DC,” Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian told the Los Angeles Times, while historian Arlen Schumer noted the studio is “still playing catch-up with Marvel.” Success would validate the 10-year slate mapped by Gunn and co-chief Peter Safran; failure could leave the world’s oldest superhero grounded in an era when audiences are increasingly selective about caped saviors.