Last Week Tonight turns DC’s superhero woes into a John Oliver roast
On Last Week Tonight, John Oliver took a sharp jab at DC’s recent movie misfires — and he didn’t hold back.
While digging into the Justice Department on Sunday’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, the host paused on a line about “working hard” and spun it into a jab at DC ’s recent box office stumbles — even though DC sits under the same corporate umbrella as his own show.
“And second, I didn’t realize the existence of repeated unsuccessful attempts was actually good news — that’s huge for DC movies, if true.”
Oliver punctuated the joke by splashing a collage of recent DC titles on screen, several of which underperformed financially. The montage included:
Supergirl has earned about $126 million worldwide against a budget reportedly north of $170 million. The bit drew extra sting because Oliver’s show airs on HBO , whose parent company also owns DC.
Picking other fights
It’s of a piece with Oliver’s season-long habit of calling out big brands. On the July 26, 2026 episode, he blasted Buc-ee’s over what he described as aggressive trademark enforcement against businesses with look‑alike cartoon animal logos — then launched a tongue‑in‑cheek merch line called “Buc‑Off” that riffed on designs the chain has challenged.
“If any prominent gas station chain out there has an issue with our new logo and products and wants to get lawyers involved, then you know what? Bring it the f*** on,” Oliver said.
The limited run is on sale with all proceeds going to Hunger Free America, and it’s available through September 8, 2026.