Marvel Studios is set to shake up the superhero box office once again with the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the 37th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the third Marvel release of 2025. Directed by Matt Shakman, this retro-futuristic adventure starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach is projected to earn between $190 million and $210 million worldwide during its opening weekend, with a domestic haul estimated at $100 million to $110 million across 4,100 theaters in the U.S. and Canada.
The film’s global launch comes on the heels of DC Studios’ Superman, which soared past $409 million worldwide after its blockbuster debut earlier this month. Superman opened domestically with $125 million, and its worldwide start was pegged at $220 million—figures that set a high bar for Marvel’s latest offering. Still, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is expected to perform comparably well, especially given the positive buzz and strong advance ticket sales, which currently stand at $20 million domestically. This presale figure mirrors the early enthusiasm seen for both Superman and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which opened with $125 million and $118.4 million respectively.
Notably, this marks the first time Marvel Studios, under Kevin Feige’s leadership, has officially handled the Fantastic Four intellectual property since the Disney-Fox merger. Previous attempts to bring Marvel’s First Family to the big screen had mixed results. Fox’s original films—2005’s Fantastic Four and 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer—were financially successful, grossing $333.5 million and $302 million worldwide, respectively, but were critically panned. The 2015 reboot, directed by Josh Trank and starring Miles Teller, Kate Mara, and Michael B. Jordan, was a commercial disappointment, earning just $170 million globally amid reports of extensive reshoots and poor reception.
By contrast, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is garnering strong critical acclaim, boasting an 89% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes—the highest for any film in the franchise’s history. This is a significant turnaround from the previous entries, which scored 9%, 27%, and 37% on the review aggregator. The film’s fresh reception is a hopeful sign for Marvel, which has faced challenges with box office consistency over the past few years.
Set against a vibrant 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic backdrop, the story follows Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they confront a planet-devouring cosmic entity known as Galactus, played by Ralph Ineson, alongside his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer, portrayed by Julia Garner. The film explores the team’s struggle to balance their heroic duties with the strength of their family bond, raising the stakes with a personal twist to Galactus’ devastating plans.
The stakes are high financially, too. With a production budget reportedly exceeding $200 million—significantly higher than earlier Marvel releases like February’s Captain America: Brave New World ($180 million) and May’s Thunderbolts ($180 million)—The Fantastic Four: First Steps needs strong box office endurance to avoid the fate of its predecessors. Both Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts opened moderately well but ultimately underperformed, earning $415 million and $381 million worldwide respectively, and falling short of profitability when factoring in marketing and distribution costs.
Industry analysts are watching closely to see if The Fantastic Four: First Steps can reverse this trend and become Marvel Studios’ biggest opening of the year. The last MCU film to hit a massive box office milestone was Shawn Levy’s Deadpool & Wolverine, which opened with a record-breaking $211.4 million domestically and went on to gross $1.33 billion worldwide.
Internationally, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is rolling out worldwide in a day-and-date release, starting July 23, 2025, with openings in France, Indonesia, Italy, and the Netherlands. The following day, July 24, it expands to major markets including the UK, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Korea, and Mexico. By July 25, the film will debut in China, India, Japan, Spain, and other territories, covering 100% of its offshore footprint. Projections for the international box office range from $90 million to $100 million, with potential upside if family audiences respond well to the film’s themes.
Comparisons to other recent superhero launches provide context: Captain America: Brave New World debuted to $95 million in similar offshore markets (including $11 million from China), Superman opened to $95 million ($7 million from China), and Thunderbolts started at $88 million ($11 million from China). The 2023 release Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania bowed to $119 million internationally, including $18 million from China.
While competition from Superman remains, the Man of Steel is now in its third week and expected to add $28 million to $30 million domestically. So far, it has grossed $243 million in the U.S. and Canada and $415 million worldwide.
In the lead-up to the release, the cast and crew of The Fantastic Four: First Steps have been busy promoting the film with events in Sydney, London, Paris, and Berlin, where fans and press were treated to exclusive footage. Marvel Studios pulled out all the stops for the Hollywood premiere on July 21, 2025, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, featuring a pre-party with photo opportunities, a live performance by Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino and a spectacular drone show lighting up the sky.
With its blend of nostalgic style, fresh storytelling, and the might of Marvel Studios behind it, The Fantastic Four: First Steps aims to reinvigorate the franchise and prove that Marvel’s First Family can claim a rightful place in the MCU’s ever-expanding universe. The film’s success or failure will not only impact Marvel’s box office trajectory but also shape the future of iconic characters like Dr. Doom and the potential integration of the X-Men canon under the Disney umbrella.
As audiences prepare to witness this new chapter, the question remains: can The Fantastic Four: First Steps break through superhero fatigue and soar to new heights, or will it struggle under the weight of high expectations and a competitive summer slate? Either way, the weekend promises to be a defining moment for Marvel Studios and the future of superhero cinema.
