Fantastic Four Thursday Box Office Projections Higher Than Superman

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Based on recent box office predictions, as reported by Deadline, the new Marvel Cinematic Universe movie titled “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is projected to have made approximately $23 million in its Thursday preview screenings within the U.S. This figure surpasses the earnings of Superman, which grossed about $22.5 million during its own Thursday previews. Notably, Superman’s total includes earnings from Amazon Prime early access showings that occurred a couple of days prior to its theatrical release. Deadline suggests that “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” might even outperform initial weekend projections, which predicted a domestic debut of $100-110 million.

As a die-hard movie buff, it’s clear that “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” left its mark this year, outshining Marvel’s other two blockbusters on the Thursday box office charts. In comparison, “Captain America: Brave New World” earned $12 million domestically from its February preview screenings, and “Thunderbolts” managed to rake in $11.5 million in May.

Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) may have noticed that the franchise hasn’t had its best run at cinemas this year. Movies like “Brave New World” and the recently released “Thunderbolts*” didn’t perform as well as anticipated, making them among the least profitable MCU films thus far. The underwhelming performance of “Thunderbolts*” has sparked rumors that Marvel Studios might change their approach to movie production in the future. There seems to be a growing interest in featuring established characters with proven box office appeal, such as Spider-Man and the Avengers, more prominently.

Even with the release of two other big movies this month, The Fantastic Four: First Steps was anticipated to revive Marvel’s box office performance in 2025. With favorable reviews (First Steps being the first Fantastic Four movie to be certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), predictions pointed towards a strong opening among the best of the year. To date, only four films from 2025 have earned over $100 million in their debuts, with Jurassic World Rebirth, which premiered on July 2nd and grossed $147.8 million over a five-day holiday period, being one of them.

Regardless of slight discrepancies in the box office predictions for “Fantastic Four”, a performance like this was exactly what Marvel Studios needed. The Fantastic Four are poised to play significant roles in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) saga, as actors Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach have all been confirmed to reprise their roles in “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars”. It was crucial for “First Steps” to be a success, sparking interest in these characters and building anticipation for their future appearances in the MCU. Outperforming “Superman” on its opening day is just an added bonus; “First Steps” needed to revitalize Marvel’s year, and it appears to be well on its way.

Kicking off what promises to be a financially successful journey for “The Fantastic Four: First Steps“, there are significant releases in August, but none can compare to a blockbuster comic book adaptation. For the upcoming weeks, “First Steps” will stand out as the primary title with minimal competition. This should allow it to capitalize on its limited rivals and create a positive wave for the MCU, setting a strong foundation for Marvel in 2026, a year that holds significant importance.

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2025-07-25 17:10