James Gunn ‘s Superman has taken flight at the box office. The highly anticipated superhero tentpole, from DC Studios and Warner Bros., earned $22.5 million in Thursday previews and other sneak showings at the North American box office.

Warner Bros./DC Studios’ “Superman” is off and flying at the box office with $22.5 million from preview screenings, the most for any film this year. That total is nearly double the $11.5 million preview total of Marvel’s “Thunderbolts*” and the $12 million preview total of “Captain America: Brave New World.”

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman back at the box office! The Man of Steel is soaring back to theaters and kicking off a rebooted DC Universe, overseen by James Gunn and Peter Safran. The latest take on “Superman,