Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum’s Achilles rupture forced a quick Hollywood pivot.
An ad promoting the July 11 release of Superman made its debut last week starring the 27-year-old All-NBA player, who rips away a button-down shirt to reveal a red and yellow S on his chest after the titular hero takes the day off and numerous voices ask, “Who’s going to sub in for Superman?”
A follow-up spot explains Clark Kent was shirking his duties to watch the NBA playoffs.
The commercials were already receiving mixed reactions online, given they landed as Boston faced a 2-0 deficit in a second-round series with the New York Knicks. Now, they’re gone. The campaign has been indefinitely suspended following Tatum’s long-term injury, according to a person familiar with the decision.
From its first appearance on May 5 until its last running during an Around the Horn airing on ESPNEWS Wednesday, the ad received 37 million impressions across 185 showings for an estimated media value of $495,000, according to iSpot.
Movie-hoops crossovers have become a common tentpole of the NBA playoffs as they lead into summer blockbuster season, though Tatum’s injury exposes the risks of tying the ads to a single star. It’s not uncommon for such spots to be pulled following serious injuries. On Wednesday, Warner Bros. Discovery released a new Superman trailer for the movie as part of the company’s annual to pitch to advertisers. That spot—which ran during Inside the NBA on TNT later that day—will likely carry a heavy load over the coming weeks. Superhero movies reportedly cost up to $200 million to create, with marketing spends extending beyond $100 million as well.
Warner Bros. Discovery head David Zaslav “has really rallied the entire company behind Superman for this summer,” DC Studios co-chairman Peter Safran told The Hollywood Reporter earlier this year.
WBD declined to comment. Tatum’s representatives did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
Tatum’s WBD tie-up included cooperation from Nike, which produced a pair of Superman-themed kicks for Tatum to wear at the beginning of his playoffs run.
His injury will likely limit his ascent among the NBA’s highest paid players as well. He earned roughly $14 million in endorsements in 2024, according to Sportico’s calculations, good for 11th among NBA players and 14th among all American athletes. Tatum will still earn $54.1 million from the Celtics next season, though he has previously said that he saves the entirety of his NBA contract proceeds while spending only what he brings in off-the-court, as part of a deal with his mother. Beyond Nike, Tatum has been seen representing Gatorade, Google, and Subway.
Now it appears someone else will have to fill Superman’s shoes, both on the court and on the promotional tour.
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