While Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase Six kickstarter The Fantastic Four: First Steps has been well-received by moviegoers and critics alike, it has one high-profile critic: the co-creator of Deadpool.
Rob Liefeld, the co-creator of Marvel Comics’ Deadpool who retired last year, took to social media to offer his thoughts on why his 5pm Tuesday IMAX screening of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which hit theaters last week, was next to empty.
“I can tell you why there is very little repeat biz on this film,” he said. “It’s impossibly dull and boring.”
This was the 5pm Fantastic Four screening at my IMAX. I can tell you why there is very little repeat biz on this film. It’s impossibly dull & boring. pic.twitter.com/AdiHfOmbMS
— robliefeld (@robertliefeld) July 30, 2025
Liefeld’s statement sparked a vociferous response, with some pointing out that 5pm on a Tuesday is hardly peak cinemagoing time. Liefeld had an answer for that, too, saying: “We are all aware of discount Tuesdays. FF is looking up at Superman and Jurassic Tuesday grosses.”
That’s a reference to the strong second weeks DCU kickstarter Superman and Jurassic World Rebirth both enjoyed.
Other responses range from angry to puzzled, with many commenters pointing out that one poorly attended screening shouldn’t be used as evidence to back up such a generalization, and some using the early box office data to discount Liefeld’s opinion.
“Your local theater experience is not evidence of the fall off when the data goes against this,” said one user. “Your one theater is far too small of a data pool to be able to have any understanding of its performance.”
“It’s a Tuesday,” pointed out another. “People have work, people are out doing summer things. Rotten Tomatoes says he’s wrong. The box office results say he’s also wrong. Him personally not liking it is ‘ok,’ but him acting like it’s a common theme everyone is just factually incorrect.”
So, how has The Fantastic Four: First Steps done at the box office? According to Box Office Mojo, it’s made $250 million globally so far, which makes it comfortably the biggest MCU movie launch since last year’s phenomenally popular Deadpool & Wolverine. Of course, all eyes are on whether The Fantastic Four can show staying power in theaters following its strong start, with the pressure on Marvel to deliver after a number of flops and ahead of next year’s Avengers: Doomsday.
Speaking of Deadpool, Liefeld called on Marvel to release Deadpool 4 after a report indicated it was behind the likes of X-Men and Black Panther 3 on Marvel’s priority list, despite the fact Deadpool & Wolverine made over a billion dollars at the box office.
“Just give the people what they want!!” Liefeld declared. His support for Deadpool is perhaps unsurprising, given he co-created the character and was a very public fan of Deadpool & Wolverine. Still, you have to imagine Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige is plotting a return for Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine and Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool, whether that’s in cameo form or in yet another sequel.
IGN’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps review returned a 7/10. We said: “The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a family dramedy that only stops working when it tries to be too much of a superhero movie.”
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
