Disney’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” stormed the domestic box office, topping superhero competitor “Superman” to finish No. 1 with $118 million.
The reboot was a major comeback for the series, falling within range of analysts’ expectations but short of a hopeful $130 million. “Fantastic Four” is also the best-performing weekend for a Marvel film this year, easily surpassing “Captain America: Brave New World” in February ($88.5 million) and “Thunderbolts” in May ($74.3 million).
“This new phase for Marvel is truly important for the brand,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior analyst at Comscore, adding that it “doubles down on the ‘Thunderbolts’ success and is showing that audiences love going to superhero movies in the movie theater.”
Shawn Robbins, director of analytics at Fandango and founder and owner of Box Office Theory, called “Fantastic Four” a “zero-homework-required” release, because it stands separate from the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s established storylines.
“That’s exactly where their franchise needs to be right now, as they not only try to keep those die-hard fans but bring back some of the more casual watchers,” said Robbins.
While some industry experts have said moviegoers may be experiencing “superhero fatigue,” Daniel Loria, editorial director at BoxOffice Pro, said Marvel may be slowed by “franchise fatigue.” Marvel Studios has released 37 movies since “Iron Man” in 2008, with four “Avengers” movies between 2012 and 2019 having combined to gross about $10 billion when adjusted for inflation.
Perhaps adding to the Marvel fatigue was Disney releasing Marvel Cinematic Universe television series on its streaming service, which complicated the franchise, Dergarabedian said. It hasn’t helped matters that since the pandemic, Marvel movies have failed to get off to a hot start, with 2024’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” ($211 million) and 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home” ($260 million) being exceptions.
“So much of (the franchise) is readily available at home,” Loria said. “I don’t think ‘Fantastic Four’ plays into any of that. It’s a fresh, new experience, and I think audiences are responding to that.”
“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” should help lift the franchise after the box office disappointment of 20th Century Fox’s 2015 “Fantastic Four,” which grossed just $76.3 million domestically during its entire run, adjusted for inflation.
Finishing No. 2 at the domestic weekend box office was Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Superman,” which grossed nearly $25 million. “Superman,” part of the revamped DC movie universe, has so far grossed $289.5 million since opening on July 11. Dergarabedian said that the success of this month’s two superhero films shows that “if that genre or category of film were to disappear, it’d be devastating for the industry.”
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Universal Pictures’ “Jurassic World Rebirth” came in third at the domestic box office, having grossed $13 million in its fourth week in theaters. It’s grossed $301.51 million domestically so far.
Robbins noted that there haven’t been major examples of a DC and Marvel movie playing in theaters at the same time. He added that casual comic book fans who may normally pick one movie to see could make an exception to see both films in theaters.
Loria cited a diverse slate of movies for continued moviegoing momentum. Aside from “Superman” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” Paramount Pictures’ comedy “The Naked Gun,” which opens Friday, will open to offer “a fresh, new genre.”
This month’s movie slate has lifted the box office 12.3% year-to-date compared to the same time last year, according to Comscore data.
And the box office could still reach $4 billion this summer, Dergarabedian said, which would mark the second post-pandemic summer box office to reach that level.
“‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ is going to fuel a very strong month of August. So what a great home stretch for the industry,” he said.
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