The Fantastic Four: First Steps Beats Major Disney Movie To Enter All-Time Box Office Chart

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Following the lackluster performance of “Captain America: Brave New World” and “Thunderbolts” earlier in the year at the box office, there was optimism that “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” could turn around a less-than-stellar year for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now that over a month has passed since its release, it’s clear that “First Steps” had an unsteady run as well. Initially opening strong with $117.6 million domestically, the movie experienced a significant drop in attendance during its second weekend and struggled to keep pace with other summer blockbusters. Although it didn’t achieve the box office success that Disney and Marvel aimed for, “First Steps” has still reached some notable milestones during its theatrical run.

As I write this, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” has earned a whopping $257.3 million at the U.S. box office (according to The Numbers). This surpasses the previous record of $254.5 million set by “Mufasa: The Lion King” within Disney’s illustrious film history, making it the 50th highest-grossing movie in their esteemed collection. It’s important to note that these figures are unadjusted for inflation, meaning they represent the raw, actual earnings without accounting for changes in the value of money over time.

How The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ Box Office Compares to Mufasa: The Lion King

In contrast to “The Fantastic Four” and Mufasa, each following distinct routes to amass over $250 million domestically, while the Marvel film boasted a blockbuster opening weekend, the prequel of “The Lion King,” Mufasa, initially appeared as another potential flop for Disney’s live-action reimaginings. Launched in December, it earned only $35.4 million in its domestic debut. However, contrary to expectations, Mufasa transformed into an unexpected success story. Post-Christmas, with a sluggish January market, the film seized the opportunity and became a notable attraction. It managed to remain in the top 10 for a continuous 12 weeks.

Contrary to what some might expect, I, as a supporter, am delighted to share that Mufasa actually raked in more dough during its second week at the box office compared to its opening weekend. To be specific, it generated an impressive 3.9% increase, earning $36.8 million. What’s even more commendable is that its subsequent decline was minimal; the film didn’t experience a drop-off greater than 40% until its 10th week in late February. This stands in stark contrast to The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which suffered a massive 67.1% dip during its second weekend, painting a challenging picture for Marvel at the box office.

Despite First Steps performing well domestically, it trails behind Mufasa globally in box office earnings. Mufasa, with a total of $722.6 million worldwide, has an impressive lead over Fantastic Four‘s $490.5 million (as of now). Interestingly, First Steps has garnered more revenue domestically than internationally, a rarity for big-budget films from major studios like Disney, who typically thrive on strong overseas performances. This shift reflects the evolving landscape in the film industry over recent years, as international audiences’ turnout is no longer as reliable as it once was. As a result, industry insiders report that Marvel is exploring methods to reduce production costs.

The movie “Fantastic Four: First Steps” is anticipated to climb up Disney’s all-time earnings list, possibly reaching the 40th spot before its box office run concludes. Following closely is “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” currently at the 49th position with gross earnings of $259.7 million, and “The Incredibles” isn’t far behind with a total of $261.4 million. “First Steps” didn’t quite reach blockbuster status as anticipated by the studio, but managing to break into the top 50 in Disney’s impressive box office history is no small achievement.

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2025-08-26 18:10