The Fantastic Four: First Steps has made nearly $370 million globally after a big box office drop during its second weekend of release.
After launching in North American theaters to a strong $118 million during its first weekend, First Steps brought in another $40 million domestically this weekend, which marks a significant drop of 66%. Domestically, First Steps is now at $198,427,635, and internationally it’s hit $170.3 million. That makes for a current global tally of $368.7 million.
According to Variety, analysts had expected a weekend two box office drop of 55% to 60%, due to positive word of mouth and a lack of competing movies coming out. Superman, by way of comparison, suffered a second weekend decline of 53%.
First Steps is an important release for Marvel Studios, as it kicks off Phase Six of the MCU and comes after two box office disappointments in Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts*. It’s worth noting that First Steps is on course to beat both films’ final box office tallies ($415.1 million and $382.3 million, respectively), and it will comfortably secure its place as the highest-grossing Fantastic Four movie ever. The question for Marvel Studios and parent company Disney will be whether First Steps ends up doing enough business during its theatrical run to not only prove profitable, but to reignite the MCU as it heads towards 2026’s crucial Avengers: Doomsday.
Rob Liefeld, the co-creator of Marvel Comics’ Deadpool who retired last year and has insisted he will no longer work with Marvel due to a series of perceived slights at the premiere of Deadpool & Wolverine, took to social media last week to offer his thoughts on why his 5pm Tuesday IMAX screening of The Fantastic Four: First Steps 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.”
That opinion goes against the consensus of critics and moviegoers. 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.”
Marvel Studios has only three movies with confirmed release dates for 2026 and 2027: Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the aforementioned Avengers: Doomsday, and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. 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.
Amid the fuss over The Fantastic Four’s box office, DCU kickstarter Superman now has a global box office take of $551.2 million after weekend four. Domestically, it added another $13.855 million, marking a strong hold of 44%, to hit $316.211 million. The film earned $11.2 million internationally this weekend for a global weekend take of $25.1 million.
If you’re looking for a undisputed box office smash hit, though, look no further than Jurassic World Rebirth, which is now up to $766 million globally after weekend five. Domestically, Rebirth is on $317.6 million (just ahead of Superman with an extra week behind it), but it’s internationally where this one is really flying.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
