The Fantastic Four: First Steps Projected to Make Less Money Than Superman

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According to recent predictions from Comscore (as reported by Variety), Marvel Studios’ film “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is expected to generate a substantial domestic opening, potentially earning between $100 million and $110 million during its debut weekend in North America. However, it seems that this may not surpass the impressive opening of DC Studios’ “Superman,” which brought in $125 million domestically. Despite this, if “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” manages to achieve this figure, it will be a significant triumph for the Marvel Cinematic Universe following a stretch of inconsistent box office performance. The forecast suggests an intense financial competition for Marvel’s First Family as they aim to capitalize on the MCU’s strong international market presence and emerge victorious in the summer box office race.

Although Superman had a strong debut at home, it made only $95 million in other countries, which is less than expected. However, Marvel Studios’ latest venture to revitalize their franchise could still surpass the first DC Universe film if it attracts more viewers worldwide. For example, the latest Marvel hit, Deadpool and Wolverine, became a massive success by earning $701 million overseas, far surpassing its domestic earnings of $636 million. This trend of international success is also seen in the MCU’s less successful films. For instance, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania made $214.5 million at home, but it earned $261.5 million abroad.

In contemporary MCU, this particular financial model has established itself as the norm. The final tally for “Captain America: Brave New World” in 2025 stood at a staggering $415.1 million worldwide, with $200.5 million from domestic viewers and an essential $214.6 million from international audiences. Correspondingly, the earnings of “Thunderbolts” amounted to $381.9 million globally, indicating that its domestic gross of $170.2 million was eclipsed by its impressive $211.7 million haul from international markets. This data underscores Marvel’s significant global success, which could potentially unseat “Superman” as the year’s biggest superhero blockbuster.

*Note: Thunderbolts is a fictional movie in this context.

Everything We Know About The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Titled “The Fantastic Four: First Steps“, this upcoming movie is poised to serve as a fundamental pillar in Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Multiverse Saga, with the mission of introducing Marvel’s renowned family, The Fantastic Four, to a fresh audience of cinema enthusiasts. Directed by Matt Shakman, who garnered an Emmy nomination for his work on Marvel’s popular series “WandaVision“, this film boasts a star-studded cast. Pedro Pascal takes the lead as the brilliant scientist Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), with Vanessa Kirby portraying Sue Storm (The Invisible Woman). Joseph Quinn steps into the role of the fiery Johnny Storm (The Human Torch), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach is cast as the stone-skinned Ben Grimm (The Thing). With a reported production budget “north of $200 million”, this significant investment underscores the property’s importance to the studio’s future strategies, while also emphasizing the necessity for it to achieve box office success.

In an innovative twist, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” deviates from the main Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. Instead, it takes place in a vivid, retro-futuristic alternate universe that echoes the 1960s. Director Matt Shakman revealed this decision was made to preserve the characters’ comic book origins, which were shaped by the scientific optimism of the Space Race era. This setting lets the film introduce the Fantastic Four as the leading heroes in their reality, one already influenced by Reed Richards’ technological genius. Consequently, there’s no need to explain why they haven’t appeared in the main MCU’s history. The primary villain of “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is reportedly Galactus, portrayed by actor Ralph Ineson. He will be joined by his companion, a version of Silver Surfer named Shalla-Bal, played by Julia Garner.

Title “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” stirs up debate due to certain contentious creative choices. It’s been confirmed that John Malkovich, who was set to portray the iconic villain Red Ghost, has been dropped from the final cut. Shakman clarified that the scenes involving Malkovich, which depicted the team’s past battles against various adversaries, were eliminated to simplify the storyline and keep the attention firmly on the menace of Galactus.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 25.

Of the two movies, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” and “Superman”, which one do you believe will generate the highest box office revenue? Feel free to share your predictions below!

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2025-07-18 12:40