Blue Beetle expected to be lowest-grossing DC movie this year

Blue Beetle is expected to take in $30 million in its opening weekend, which would be a very disappointing start for a new superhero movie.

That would make "Blue Beetle" the lowest-performing DC movie this year in terms of opening weekend box office. "Shazam 2: Wrath of the Titans" opened with $30.5 million in March, while "The Flash" opened with $55 million in June.

By comparison, Barbie grossed $155 million in its first weekend, Oppenheimer took in $80 million, and Marvel's superhero film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 took in $118 million in its first weekend.

The current head of DC Studios is director James Gunn. Blue Beetle will be the first official character of the new DC Universe under his leadership, but it is not the first movie in the new universe. The official start is "Superman: Legacy" directed by Gunn, which is expected to be released in 2025.

"Blue Beetle" will premiere on August 18.