Even though The Fantastic Four: First Steps was the biggest hit for the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2025, it didn’t perform well when it started streaming on Disney+. The movie came out in theaters on July 25, 2025, and then became available on Disney+ in November. Marvel is counting on The Fantastic Four to be important in future movies like Avengers: Doomsday and potentially Secret Wars. However, the low streaming numbers suggest the franchise’s future is uncertain.
Okay, so the numbers are in for the week of November 3rd to 9th, 2025, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps landed at number ten with 556 million minutes viewed – which translates to about 4.9 million people tuning in, according to TV Fandom Lounge. While it was the third most-watched movie that week, behind KPop: Demon Hunters and a surprisingly popular Frankenstein, it’s a pretty soft launch for the MCU. Honestly, the first five days of streaming were lower than even The Marvels – remember that one, it didn’t do so well in theaters? – and definitely behind the numbers for this year’s Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts. It’s a bit concerning, to be honest, as it suggests this new take on the Fantastic Four isn’t grabbing audiences quite like other MCU premieres.
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Streaming Numbers Are Not as Bad As They Appear
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
The disappointing initial streaming numbers for The Fantastic Four: First Steps are concerning for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, especially since these characters are being introduced as the new face of the franchise. However, it makes sense that First Steps, which did well in theaters, didn’t generate as much immediate streaming demand as the two movies that weren’t as successful in cinemas – Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts. It seems audiences were eager to see First Steps on the big screen, while they may have been more willing to wait and watch the other two at home. Interestingly, after its digital release on September 23, 2025, First Steps was the top purchase on Fandango for three weeks.
Recent reports about The Fantastic Four: First Steps have painted a picture of either huge success or total failure. The reality is likely somewhere in between. With an opening weekend of $117 million, it’s currently the fifth-highest grossing film of 2025. So far, it’s earned $274.3 million in the US and $521.9 million worldwide. While half a billion dollars is a good result for a franchise many thought was finished a decade ago, it’s lower than the billion-dollar successes Marvel enjoyed in the past, especially before the pandemic.
Aside from 2020, 2025 will be the first year since 2011 that a Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie wasn’t among the year’s highest-grossing films. However, films like Thunderbolts and The Fantastic Four: First Steps still have potential, especially since their characters will be important in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday movie, scheduled for December 2026. First Steps has performed reasonably well in theaters and on home video, and with a reported production budget of $181 million (according to Forbes), it was one of the MCU’s more affordable films to make, suggesting that The Fantastic Four and the MCU are still in good shape.
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2025-12-10 00:32