New Delhi, June 28 -- Supergirl, the latest chapter in the rebooted DC Universe led by James Gunn and Peter Safran, has opened to an estimated $18 million on its first day in North America, including preview shows, early industry estimates said. That puts the film on course for a domestic opening weekend in the $38 million to $40 million range, well short of the stronger numbers once expected.

Directed by Craig Gillespie and featuring Milly Alcock in her first lead turn as Kara Zor-El, the film opened across more than 3,600 theatres in North America on Friday. The reported $18 million total includes about $7.8 million from fan screenings and Thursday previews, with the rest coming from Friday's ticket sales.

That opening is noticeably s...