In July, two significant comic book adaptations hit the screens: “Superman” and “The Fantastic Four: First Footsteps.” Although they didn’t clash at the box office (they were scheduled a fortnight apart), there was much anticipation to see which movie would rake in more money. Despite director James Gunn playing down any rivalry, the financial success of both films remained a hot topic. “Superman” marked the DC Universe’s first theatrical release and aimed to kickstart a new franchise successfully. On the other hand, “First Footsteps” was Marvel’s attempt to regain its footing after some notable commercial flops. With both movies now playing for a while, it’s clear that “Superman” has emerged victorious in this box office battle.
Based on its significant decline since its initial release, it’s highly unlikely that “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” will surpass “Superman” in box office earnings. As of now, after five weekends, “Superman” has amassed a staggering $331.2 million domestically, while “First Steps” stands at $230.4 million after three weeks. At the same point in its theatrical run, “Superman” had already earned $289.4 million within the U.S., surpassing “Fantastic Four” and predicted to be the highest-grossing comic book movie of 2025.
Encouraged by favorable critiques, both “Superman” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” surpassed predictions during their initial weekend showings at the box office. The first earned $125 million domestically, while the second brought in $117.6 million. However, their trajectories diverged following the second weekend for “First Steps.” Unlike “Superman,” which experienced a minimal drop of 53.2%, Marvel’s new release saw a significant decrease of 67.1% – a considerable decline similar to that of “Captain America: Brave New World.
In its second week, the movie “First Steps” managed to maintain the top position despite a significant drop, but it slipped to third place this week. The newcomers “Weapons” and “Freakier Friday” fought for the leading spot, with “Weapons” emerging victorious after earning $42.5 million. It’s notable that “Superman” also held the No. 1 position for only two weekends before facing off against “Fantastic Four” in its third weekend. Both “Weapons” and “Freakier Friday” were eagerly awaited by their respective audiences, but at one point, it seemed like “First Steps” might have been able to outperform smaller competition for another week or two before the pace slowed down.
Title “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” signals an unbalanced conclusion for a year at the box office that was quite impressive for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Earlier in the year, films like “Captain America: Brave New World” and an anticipated film named “Thunderbolts*” did not meet expectations, fueling discussions about potential changes in Marvel’s business strategy. As of now, “First Steps” has accumulated a global total of $400.5 million, soon surpassing “Brave New World” to become the MCU’s highest-grossing 2025 release worldwide. Nevertheless, it’s debatable whether “First Steps” has reached the level of success that Marvel and Disney had hoped for, considering the MCU’s approach towards “Avengers: Doomsday“.
*Note: The title “Thunderbolts*” is not a confirmed or announced film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The movies “Thunderbolts” and “Captain America: A New World” have proven successful on home media platforms, showing how the landscape has shifted over the past few years. While dedicated fans still flock to theaters on opening weekends, reduced theater windows make it more convenient for casual viewers – especially if a film isn’t an immediate must-see event. The upcoming releases of “Spider-Man: A Fresh Start” and “Avengers: Doomsday” will give us insight into Marvel’s potential return to the $1 billion mark, though failure could exacerbate current issues. As for DC, there is much anticipation for how “Supergirl” and “Clayface” perform. With Superman reigniting interest in DC productions, one may wonder if he is uniquely immune to box office trends or if all DC superhero characters share this immunity.
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2025-08-10 20:25