The very American comic book hero has always faced challenges abroad. But Trump's controversial global policies and a China market that’s (largely) moved on from Hollywood tentpoles haven't helped.

Writer-director James Gunn has some theories about why. "Superman is not a known commodity in some places. He is not a big, known superhero in some places like Batman is. That affects things," Gunn told Rolling Stone this week,

Although Superman continues to dominate the domestic box office after two weeks, the Man of Steel hasn’t translated quite the same way to international audiences. Director and DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn recently commented on the movie’s international haul of $173 million,