Fantastic Four: First Steps Breaks Marvel Records

Jul 27, 2025

Disney and Marvel’s relaunch of THE FANTASTIC FOUR movies appears to have been successful, with THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS earning $118.0M in its first three days. This sets a new record for the series, with the previous crown being held by FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER, which took in $58.1M in its 2007 opening. Even after adjusting those amounts for inflation to $90.4M, THE SILVER SURFER falls far short of THE FIRST STEPS.

THE FIRST STEPS in its first weekend came very close to SUPERMAN’s opening of $125M two weeks ago. This is an important moment for both the MCU and DCU, as both iconic superhero universes are trying to regain their status as industry-leading movie factories. Because both THE FANTASTIC FOUR and SUPERMAN have come out so close together, it’s only natural to compare them with each other.

Comparing SUPERMAN and THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS

SUPERMAN (7/11/2025) – Domestic Opening $125M (4,135 locations), Domestic 2nd Weekend $57.3M (-54%), Domestic 3rd Weekend $24.9M (-57%), Domestic 17-day $289.5M, Budget $225M, RT Critics/Audience 83%/92%
THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS (7/25/2025) – Domestic Opening $118M (4,125 locations), Budget $200M, RT Critics/Audience 87%/94%

THE FANTASTIC FOUR had a strong start by selling $118.0M in tickets in its first weekend. As good as this may have been, the current weekend was always going to have difficulty matching up to this same weekend last year, when Disney and Marvel’s DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE opened with an amazing $211.4M and went on to a gross of $636.7M domestic and $1.338B worldwide. Whereas all films this weekend earned $185.0M, last year’s total was $284.9M. Still, the current year-to-date totals are 12% higher than the box office from last year at this same time.

Next weekend’s comparison will not be any easier, since DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE’s second weekend produced $96.8M, a drop of only 54% from its stellar opening. To measure up, THE FANTASTIC FOUR will need to hold well and get a lot of support from the three new movies set to open alongside: THE NAKED GUN from Paramount, THE BAD GUYS 2 from Universal, and TOGETHER from NEON.

THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS is the first movie in Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the fourth film featuring the FANTASTIC FOUR characters, which began in 2005 with the release of the first FANTASTIC FOUR. That film was released by 20^th Century Fox and was an important title for its studio as it sought to add a new franchise to its repertoire.

FANTASTIC FOUR wound up as the thirteenth highest-grossing film of 2005, and turned a modest profit. Despite negative reviews, earning 27% from critics and 45% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, the studio plunged right away into the development of a sequel. FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER came out less than two years later and was not as successful as the original.

It grossed only 85% of the domestic box office of the first FANTASTIC FOUR and 91% of the global box office, despite costing $30M more to make the film. The financials on the sequel wound up coming in just below breakeven. Once again, the response to SILVER SURFER from critics and audiences was negative, with scores of only 37% and 45% respectively on Rotten Tomatoes. And while the results were not exactly what Fox executives had hoped for, the studio was undeterred and came out with a third FANTASTIC FOUR in 2015.

This was by far the weakest of the bunch, grossing only $167.9M worldwide. Critics destroyed it with an unbelievable 9% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences were not much kinder with a harsh 18% rating. The film lost millions, and it seemed as if the movie careers of the Fantastic Foursome had come to the end of the line, despite their vaunted place in the history of Marvel comics.

However, a Hollywood truism is that one should never say never. After acquiring the studio assets of 20^th Century Fox in 2019, Disney had control of AVATAR, STAR WARS, X-MEN, DEADPOOL, and a host of other valuable IP. The movie rights to FANTASTIC FOUR came along as part of the 20^th Century Fox deal.

Immediately, Kevin Feige, the President of Marvel Studios, which Disney had acquired in 2008, made it clear that one of his top priorities would be to integrate the superhero team into the MCU, not only because of their historic importance to Marvel Comics but also realizing their appealing combination of science fiction, family dynamics, and cosmic storytelling. Feige emphasized that a new FANTASTIC FOUR movie would reconnect with the feel of the original comics while reintroducing the characters in a fresh and modern way.

Marvel Studios’ reboot of THE FANTASTIC FOUR is more than just another franchise reset— it’s a reclamation of one of the most iconic superhero teams ever. Director Matt Shakman was tapped to lead the project, best known for his work on the Disney+ series WandaVision.

His skills in blending emotion, humor, and visual spectacle made him an ideal choice for the new project. The screenwriting team, led by AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER co-writer Josh Friedman, was enlisted to ground the story while expanding the cosmic horizons that the Fantastic Four are known for.

Casting the superheroes would be critical. They began by choosing Pedro Pascal to play Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic, a brilliant scientist and the leader of the Fantastic Four. Known for having a genius-level intellect, he has established himself as a pioneer in physics, engineering, and interdimensional exploration. After a cosmic accident, he gains the ability to stretch and elongate his body into incredible shapes.

Pedro Pascal, coming off well-regarded roles in the series The Mandalorian (Disney+), Game of Thrones, and The Last of Us (HBO Max), has also vaulted himself into a theatrical career with eight appearances in feature films since last September. English actress Vanessa Kirby was cast as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, who is both the emotional anchor and powerhouse of the Fantastic Four. After exposure to cosmic radiation, she gains the power to become invisible and create force fields of immense strength.

Kirby is best known for her role as Princess Margaret in the Netflix series The Crown. Next up comes Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, Sue’s younger brother and the most impulsive member of the team. He develops the ability to engulf himself in flames, fly, and project fiery blasts. Quinn is recognized for his role as Eddie Munson in Netflix’s Stranger Things.

Finally, the fourth member of the team is Ebon Moss-Bachrach playing Ben Grimm/The Thing. Ben Grimm is Reed’s longtime friend and a former college football star. After the cosmic event, he is transformed into a rock-skinned powerhouse with superhuman strength and durability. Ebon Moss-Bachrach won a Best Supporting Actor Emmy for his portrayal of Cousin Richie in Hulu and FX’s series The Bear.

With so much care and attention going into the making of this film, Disney and Marvel were eager for it to receive a positive critical response and become a financial success as well. Both of these goals appear to have been achieved, with impressive Rotten Tomatoes scores of 87% from critics and even higher 93% from audiences. Variety referred to the film as a “fresh start” for Marvel, saying that the studio “gets its mojo back with a satisfying retro‑styled reboot”.

The reviewer praised the decision to skip the origin story and drop us into the team mid‑career, highlighting how the 1960s hallucinatory production design keeps the genre “aloft” The Hollywood Reporter called the reboot a cinematic cleansing of decades of Fantastic Four missteps, noting the ensemble chemistry, Matt Shakman’s skillful balance of humor and gravity, and the production design, score, and costumes all working in harmony.

RogerEbert.com labeled it “a solid, intelligent, occasionally inspired comic book movie” that surpasses audience expectations with substance beyond spectacle. The only whiff of negative response comes from Screen Daily, whose reviewer enjoyed the promising chemistry between the leads and stylish visuals but faults the plot as lackluster, with emotional stakes undercut by rushed storytelling.

With a production budget of $200M, THE FANTASTIC FOUR needs to earn $500M worldwide to reach profitability. After its domestic opening of $118.0M and $218M worldwide, it seems to be well on its way to reaching that goal. Here is how the new film compares with the three other titles in the series.

The 4 FANTASTIC FOUR Movies

THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS (7/25/2025) – Domestic Opening $118M (4,125 locations), Budget $200M, RT Critics/Audience 87%/94%
FANTASTIC FOUR (7/8/2005) – Domestic Opening $56.1M/$92.7M* (3,602 locations), Domestic Total $154.7M/$255.7M*, Worldwide Total $333.5M/$549.1M*, Budget $100M/$165.2M*, RT Critics/Audience 27%/45%
FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER (6/15/2007) – Domestic Opening $58.1M/$90.4M* (3,959 locations), Domestic Total $131.9M/$205.2M*, Worldwide Total $301.9M/$469.7M*, Budget $130M/$202.2M*, RT Critics/Audience 37%/51%
FANTASTIC FOUR (8/7/2015) – Domestic Opening $25.7M (3,995 locations), Domestic Total $56.1M, Worldwide Total $167.9M, Budget $120M, RT Critics/Audience 9%/18%
*Adjusted for inflation

Warner Bros.’ SUPERMAN slid into second place in its third weekend, earning $24.9M over the last three days, a drop of 57% from last weekend. This brings its 17-day totals to $289.5M domestic and $502.7M worldwide. A drop this weekend of only 57% is a good sign for the film, especially when considering that it had to go up against THE FANTASTIC FOUR in its opening weekend, which is a formidable competitor with similar demographic appeal.

This year’s SUPERMAN is on a mission to become the highest-grossing movie in the career of the Man of Steel. After its first weekend, SUPERMAN had earned 75% of the grosses that BATMAN V. SUPERMAN earned in its 2016 debut. After the second weekend, the new SUPERMAN had risen to 90% by comparison, and now, after three weekends, it stands at 98%.

One of SUPERMAN’s advantages is that it is a mid-summer release, whereas BATMAN V SUPERMAN was an early spring release, opening on March 25, 2016. Conversely, BATMAN V. SUPERMAN didn’t have much competition to contend with, certainly not anything like THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS. In the end, it will be a close finish between the two movies in the domestic gross face-off.

SUPERMAN (2025), BATMAN V. SUPERMAN (2016), and SUPERMAN (1978)

SUPERMAN (7/11/2025) – Domestic Opening $125M (4,135 locations), Domestic 2nd Weekend $57.3M (-54%), Domestic 3rd Weekend $24.9M (-57%), Domestic 17-Day $289.5M, Budget $225M, RT Critics/Audience 82%/95%
BATMAN V. SUPERMAN (3/25/2016) – Domestic Opening $166.0MM (4,256 locations), Domestic 2nd Weekend $51.3M (-69%), Domestic 3rd Weekend $23.4M (-55%), Domestic 17-Day $296.6M, Domestic Total $330.4M, Worldwide Total $874.4M, Budget $250M, RT Critics/Audience 28%/63%
SUPERMAN (12/15/1978) – Domestic Opening $7.5M/$37.0M* (508 locations), Domestic 2nd Weekend $6.5M/$32.2M* (-13%), Domestic 3rd Weekend $10.4M/$51.5M* (+59%), Domestic 17-Day $40.9M/$202.3M*, Domestic Total $134.5M/$661.7M*, Worldwide Total $300.5M/$1.480B*, Budget $55M/$271.2M*, RT Critics/Audience 87%/86%
*Adjusted for inflation

Universal’s JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH finished third by taking in $13.0M this weekend, a drop of 45%. After four weekends and 26 days, the dinosaurs have amassed $301.5 million domestic and $708.4M worldwide. While REBIRTH will be the lowest-grossing movie in the JURASSIC WORLD series, it is still a veritable blockbuster and has become profitable by exceeding the $450M in worldwide sales it needed to reach that mark. By the end of its run, it had a chance of finishing with a 4 to 1 ratio of worldwide box office to production budget.

JURASSIC WORLD Movies

JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH (7/2/2025) – Domestic Opening $91.5M (4,308 locations), Domestic 2nd Weekend $40.0M (-57%), Domestic 3rd Weekend $23.4M (-42%), Domestic 4th Weekend $13.0M (-45%), Domestic 26-day $301.5M, Budget $180M, RT Critics/Audience 51%/71%
JURASSIC WORLD (6/12/2015) – Domestic Opening $208.8M (4,274 locations), Domestic 2nd Weekend $106.6M (-49%), Domestic 3rd Weekend $54.5M (-49%), Domestic 4th Weekend $29.2M (-46%), Domestic 24-day $556.5M, Domestic Total $652.3M, Worldwide Total $1.670B, Budget $150M, RT Critics/Audience 72%/78%
JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM (6/22/2018) – Domestic Opening $148.0M (4,475 locations), Domestic 2nd Weekend $60.9M (-59%), Domestic 3rd Weekend $28.6M (-43%), Domestic 4th Weekend $16.2M (-43%), Domestic 24-day $364.0M, Domestic Total $417.7M, Worldwide Total $1.308B, Budget $170M, RT Critics/Audience 47%/48%
JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION (6/22/2022) – Domestic Opening $145.1M (4,676 locations), Domestic 2nd Weekend $59.2M (-59%), Domestic 3rd Weekend $26.7M (-55%), Domestic 4th Weekend $16.4M (-39%), Domestic 24-day $332.5M, Domestic Total $377.9M, Worldwide Total $1.002B, Budget $185M, RT Critics/Audience 29%/77%

F1: THE MOVIE still has gas in the tank and finished fourth in its fifth weekend with $6.2M in new sales, a decline of 37%. After 38 days, the Warner Bros. and Apple movie has grossed $165.6M domestic and $509.7M worldwide, and has crossed the $500M hurdle to become profitable on box office sales alone.

And the fun is set to continue, after Warner Bros. announced this week that its movie will receive an IMAX re-release in the week of August 8^th. It is the highest-grossing movie ever for road-race themed features, and is Apple’s top-grossing movie of all time as well.

F1: THE MOVIE vs. FORD V FERRARI

F1: THE MOVIE (6/27/2025) – Domestic Opening $55.6M (3,661 locations), Domestic 2nd Weekend $26.1M (-54%), Domestic 3rd Weekend $13.5M (-50%), Domestic 4th Weekend $9.6M (-26%), Domestic 5th Weekend $6.2M (-37%), Domestic 38-Day $165.6M, Budget $200M, RT Critics/Audience 83%/97%
FORD V FERRARI (11/15/2019) – Domestic Opening $31.5M (3,528 locations), Domestic 2nd Weekend $15.7M (-50%), Domestic 3rd Weekend $13.2M (-16%), Domestic 4th Weekend $6.7M (-50%), Domestic 5th Weekend $4.1M (-39%), Domestic 38-Day $102.0M, Domestic Total $117.6M, Worldwide Total $226.2M, Budget $98M, RT Critics/Audience 92%/98%

Paramount’s SMURFS came in fifth place, with $5.4M in new sales and a decline of 51% from its opening last weekend. This brings its 10-day total to $22.8M domestic and $69.1M worldwide. This SMURFS will be the lowest-earning movie in the series, by far, despite Paramount’s efforts to bring the franchise back. With a production cost of $58M, it would need to earn $145M worldwide to be profitable, and it will certainly fall short of that.

SMURFS Movies

SMURFS (7/18/2025) – Domestic Opening $11.0M (3,504 locations), Domestic 2nd Weekend $5.4M (-51%), Domestic 10-day $22.8M, Budget $58M, RT Critics/Audience 21%/66%
THE SMURFS (7/29/2011) – Domestic Opening $35.6M (3,395 locations), Domestic 2nd Weekend $20.7M (-42%), Domestic 10-day $75.9M, Domestic Total $142.6M, Worldwide Total $563.9M, Budget $110M, RT Critics/Audience 21%/43%
THE SMURFS 2 (7/31/2013) – Domestic Opening $17.5M (3,866 locations), Domestic 2nd Weekend $9.3M (-47%), Domestic 10-day $46.5M, Domestic Total $71.0M, Worldwide Total $347.5M, Budget $105M, RT Critics/Audience 14%/56%
SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE (4/17/2017) – Domestic Opening $13.2M (3,610 locations), Domestic 2nd Weekend $6.7M (-49%), Domestic 10-day $24.9M, Domestic Total $45.0M, Worldwide Total $152.2M, Budget $60M, RT Critics/Audience 41%/54%

Where Are We as of 7/24/2025

After 29 weeks, the domestic box office in 2025 stands at 114% compared to the same point in 2024 and 74% compared to 2019.

Where Are We as of July 24, 2025