Part 2/8:
Before Blue Beetle hit cinemas, expectations were bleak. The film’s box office projections painted a grim picture, suggesting it might have the worst opening in DCU history. Analyst estimates ranged from a mere $12 million to $17 million opening domestically, with total gross projections between $27 million and $55 million—a catastrophic outlook considering the film’s reported budget of around $120 million, comparable to Shazam! 2, which had already lost Warner Brothers over $100 million at the box office.