‘Fantastic Four: First Steps' scores Marvel's first $100 million box office opening of 2025
That makes it the fourth biggest opening of the year, behind 'A Minecraft Movie,' 'Lilo & Stitch' and 'Superman,' and the biggest Marvel opening since 'Deadpool & Wolverine' grossed $211 million out of the gate last summer. Internationally, 'Fantastic Four' made $100 million from 52 territories, adding up to a $218 million worldwide debut. The numbers were within the range the studio was expecting.
The film arrived in the wake of another big superhero reboot, James Gunn's 'Superman,' which opened three weekends ago and has already crossed $500 million globally. That film, from the other main player in comic book films, DC Studios, took second place with $24.9 million domestically.
The box office success of 'First Steps' and 'Superman' means 'the whole notion of superhero fatigue, which has been talked about a lot, can I think be put to rest. I always say it's bad movie fatigue, not superhero fatigue,' said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for data firm Comscore.
'The Fantastic Four' review: In a jet age dream of Manhattan, Marvel's world-savers take care of business'First Steps' is the latest attempt at bringing the superhuman family to the big screen, following lackluster performances for other versions. The film, based on the original Marvel comics, is set during the 1960s in a retro-futuristic world led by the Fantastic Four, a family of astronauts-turned-superhuman from exposure to cosmic rays during a space mission.
The family is made up of Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), who can stretch his body to incredible lengths; Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), who can render herself invisible; Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), who transforms into a fiery human torch; and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), who possesses tremendous superhuman strength with his stone-like flesh.
The movie takes place four years after the family gained powers, during which Reed's inventions have transformed technology, and Sue's diplomacy has led to global peace.
Both audiences and critics responded positively to the film, which currently has an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and promising exit poll responses from opening weekend ticket buyers. An estimated 46% of audiences chose to see it on premium screens, including IMAX and other large formats.
The once towering Marvel is working to rebuild audience enthusiasm for its films and characters. Its two previous offerings this year did not reach the cosmic box office heights of 'Deadpool & Wolverine,' which made over $1.3 billion, or those of the 'Avengers'-era. But critically, the films have been on an upswing since the poorly reviewed 'Captain America: Brave New World,' which ultimately grossed $415 million worldwide. 'Thunderbolts,' which jumpstarted the summer movie season, was better received critically but financially is capping out at just over $382 million globally.
Like Deadpool and Wolverine, the Fantastic Four characters had been under the banner of 20th Century Fox for years. The studio produced two critically loathed, but decently profitable attempts in the mid-2000s with future Captain America Chris Evans as the Human Torch. In 2015, it tried again (unsuccessfully) with Michael B. Jordan and Miles Teller. They got another chance after Disney's $71 billion acquisition of Fox's entertainment assets in 2019.
The 'Fantastic Four's' opening weekend results were a little less than some rival studio projections, Dergarabedian said. Nonetheless, the film is expected to carry movie theater earnings well into August.
Holdovers dominated the top 10, but one other newcomer managed to make the chart. The dark romantic comedy 'Oh, Hi!' earned $1.1 million from 866 screens.
'Jurassic World Rebirth' landed in third place in its fourth weekend with $13 million, followed by 'F1' with $6.2 million. The Brad Pitt racing movie also passed $500 million globally. 'Smurfs' rounded out the top five with $5.4 million in its second weekend.
The box office is currently up over 12% from last year.
With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:
1. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' $118 million.
2. 'Superman,' $24.9 million.
3. 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' $13 million.
4. 'F1: The Movie,' $6.2 million.
5. 'Smurfs,' $5.4 million.
6. 'I Know What You Did Last Summer,' $5.1 million.
7. 'How to Train Your Dragon,' $2.8 million.
8. 'Eddington,' $1.7 million.
9. 'Saiyaara,' $1.3 million.
10. 'Oh, Hi!,' $1.1 million.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UPI
22 minutes ago
- UPI
'Fantastic Four' tops North American box office with $118M
Pedro Pascal's "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" is the No. 1 movie in North America this weekend. File Photo by Rune Hellestad/ UPI | License Photo July 27 (UPI) -- The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the No. 1 movie in North America, earning $118 million in receipts this weekend, announced Sunday. Coming in at No. 2 is Superman with $24.9 million, followed by Jurassic World: Rebirth at No. 3 with $13 million, F1: The Movie at No. 4 with $6.2 million and Smurfs at No. 5 with $5.4 million. Rounding out the top tier are I Know What You Did Last Summer at No. 6 with $2.8 million, How to Train Your Dragon at No. 7 with $2.8 million, Eddington at No. 8 with $1.7 million, Oh, Hi! at No. 9 with $1.1 million and The Home at No. 10 with $1 million.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps' rockets to $118 million
Disney's 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' stormed the domestic box office, topping superhero competitor 'Superman' to finish No. 1 with $118 million. The reboot was a major comeback for the series, falling within range of analysts' expectations but short of a hopeful $130 million. 'Fantastic Four' is also the best-performing weekend for a Marvel film this year, easily surpassing 'Captain America: Brave New World' in February ($88.5 million) and 'Thunderbolts' in May ($74.3 million). 'This new phase for Marvel is truly important for the brand,' said Paul Dergarabedian, senior analyst at Comscore, adding that it 'doubles down on the 'Thunderbolts' success and is showing that audiences love going to superhero movies in the movie theater.' Shawn Robbins, director of analytics at Fandango and founder and owner of Box Office Theory, called 'Fantastic Four' a 'zero-homework-required' release, because it stands separate from the Marvel Cinematic Universe's established storylines. 'That's exactly where their franchise needs to be right now, as they not only try to keep those die-hard fans but bring back some of the more casual watchers,' said Robbins. While some industry experts have said moviegoers may be experiencing 'superhero fatigue,' Daniel Loria, editorial director at BoxOffice Pro, said Marvel may be slowed by 'franchise fatigue.' Marvel Studios has released 37 movies since 'Iron Man' in 2008, with four 'Avengers' movies between 2012 and 2019 having combined to gross about $10 billion when adjusted for inflation. Perhaps adding to the Marvel fatigue was Disney releasing Marvel Cinematic Universe television series on its streaming service, which complicated the franchise, Dergarabedian said. It hasn't helped matters that since the pandemic, Marvel movies have failed to get off to a hot start, with 2024's 'Deadpool & Wolverine' ($211 million) and 2021's 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' ($260 million) being exceptions. 'So much of (the franchise) is readily available at home,' Loria said. 'I don't think 'Fantastic Four' plays into any of that. It's a fresh, new experience, and I think audiences are responding to that.' 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' should help lift the franchise after the box office disappointment of 20th Century Fox's 2015 'Fantastic Four,' which grossed just $76.3 million domestically during its entire run, adjusted for inflation. Finishing No. 2 at the domestic weekend box office was Warner Bros. Pictures' 'Superman,' which grossed nearly $25 million. 'Superman,' part of the revamped DC movie universe, has so far grossed $289.5 million since opening on July 11. Dergarabedian said that the success of this month's two superhero films shows that 'if that genre or category of film were to disappear, it'd be devastating for the industry.' Warner Bros. Discovery is the parent company of CNN. Universal Pictures' 'Jurassic World Rebirth' came in third at the domestic box office, having grossed $13 million in its fourth week in theaters. It's grossed $301.51 million domestically so far. Robbins noted that there haven't been major examples of a DC and Marvel movie playing in theaters at the same time. He added that casual comic book fans who may normally pick one movie to see could make an exception to see both films in theaters. Loria cited a diverse slate of movies for continued moviegoing momentum. Aside from 'Superman' and 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' Paramount Pictures' comedy 'The Naked Gun,' which opens Friday, will open to offer 'a fresh, new genre.' This month's movie slate has lifted the box office 12.3% year-to-date compared to the same time last year, according to Comscore data. And the box office could still reach $4 billion this summer, Dergarabedian said, which would mark the second post-pandemic summer box office to reach that level. ''The Fantastic Four: First Steps' is going to fuel a very strong month of August. So what a great home stretch for the industry,' he said.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps' rockets to $118 million
Disney's 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' stormed the domestic box office, topping superhero competitor 'Superman' to finish No. 1 with $118 million. The reboot was a major comeback for the series, falling within range of analysts' expectations but short of a hopeful $130 million. 'Fantastic Four' is also the best-performing weekend for a Marvel film this year, easily surpassing 'Captain America: Brave New World' in February ($88.5 million) and 'Thunderbolts' in May ($74.3 million). 'This new phase for Marvel is truly important for the brand,' said Paul Dergarabedian, senior analyst at Comscore, adding that it 'doubles down on the 'Thunderbolts' success and is showing that audiences love going to superhero movies in the movie theater.' Shawn Robbins, director of analytics at Fandango and founder and owner of Box Office Theory, called 'Fantastic Four' a 'zero-homework-required' release, because it stands separate from the Marvel Cinematic Universe's established storylines. 'That's exactly where their franchise needs to be right now, as they not only try to keep those die-hard fans but bring back some of the more casual watchers,' said Robbins. While some industry experts have said moviegoers may be experiencing 'superhero fatigue,' Daniel Loria, editorial director at BoxOffice Pro, said Marvel may be slowed by 'franchise fatigue.' Marvel Studios has released 37 movies since 'Iron Man' in 2008, with four 'Avengers' movies between 2012 and 2019 having combined to gross about $10 billion when adjusted for inflation. Perhaps adding to the Marvel fatigue was Disney releasing Marvel Cinematic Universe television series on its streaming service, which complicated the franchise, Dergarabedian said. It hasn't helped matters that since the pandemic, Marvel movies have failed to get off to a hot start, with 2024's 'Deadpool & Wolverine' ($211 million) and 2021's 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' ($260 million) being exceptions. 'So much of (the franchise) is readily available at home,' Loria said. 'I don't think 'Fantastic Four' plays into any of that. It's a fresh, new experience, and I think audiences are responding to that.' 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' should help lift the franchise after the box office disappointment of 20th Century Fox's 2015 'Fantastic Four,' which grossed just $76.3 million domestically during its entire run, adjusted for inflation. Finishing No. 2 at the domestic weekend box office was Warner Bros. Pictures' 'Superman,' which grossed nearly $25 million. 'Superman,' part of the revamped DC movie universe, has so far grossed $289.5 million since opening on July 11. Dergarabedian said that the success of this month's two superhero films shows that 'if that genre or category of film were to disappear, it'd be devastating for the industry.' Warner Bros. Discovery is the parent company of CNN. Universal Pictures' 'Jurassic World Rebirth' came in third at the domestic box office, having grossed $13 million in its fourth week in theaters. It's grossed $301.51 million domestically so far. Robbins noted that there haven't been major examples of a DC and Marvel movie playing in theaters at the same time. He added that casual comic book fans who may normally pick one movie to see could make an exception to see both films in theaters. Loria cited a diverse slate of movies for continued moviegoing momentum. Aside from 'Superman' and 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' Paramount Pictures' comedy 'The Naked Gun,' which opens Friday, will open to offer 'a fresh, new genre.' This month's movie slate has lifted the box office 12.3% year-to-date compared to the same time last year, according to Comscore data. And the box office could still reach $4 billion this summer, Dergarabedian said, which would mark the second post-pandemic summer box office to reach that level. ''The Fantastic Four: First Steps' is going to fuel a very strong month of August. So what a great home stretch for the industry,' he said.
