Worldwide box office projections for The Fantastic Four: First Steps are in, and indications are it will earn less than what Superman made during its opening weekend. According to Deadline, First Steps is currently estimated to gross somewhere between $190-210 million globally in its debut. Even the high end of those projections would fall behind the $220 million Superman brought in when it premiered earlier this month. It’s expected that First Steps will earn between $100-110 million domestically and $90-100 million internationally as it begins its theatrical run. Deadline notes that Fantastic Four has already earned $20 million just from advanced ticket sales, a figure in the same ballpark as Superman and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Even if The Fantastic Four: First Steps doesn’t top Superman‘s debut, it still has a strong chance to post Marvel’s biggest opening weekend of the year. Back in February, Captain America: Brave New World earned around $192 million globally in its opening, and Thunderbolts* grossed $162.1 million. Both of those films rank among the lowest-grossing Marvel Cinematic Universe installments.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ box office prospects should get a boost from word of mouth. Reviews for the film are very positive, as the MCU reboot is officially Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. First Steps is by far the best-received Fantastic Four movie of all time, easily passing the critics scores of the two films from the 2000s and the 2015 reboot. It’s also Marvel’s second consecutive Certified Fresh film, following Thunderbolts*.
Riding its own wave of positive buzz, Superman has dominated the box office since it came out, easily winning its first two weekends. James Gunn’s film crossed the $400 million mark in that time. It has already eclipsed the lifetime totals of Thunderbolts* and Captain America: Brave New World, getting the DC Universe franchise off to a strong start. Many are interested to see how well it holds against Fantastic Four.
It’s a great sign that The Fantastic Four: First Steps is on track to have Marvel’s highest opening of the year. With some notable exceptions (including last summer’s Deadpool & Wolverine), the Multiverse Saga has experienced its fair share of box office troubles, with multiple projects underperforming. As Marvel builds towards the story’s conclusion with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, it’s imperative for things to turn around at the multiplex. If First Steps is a well-received box office hit, it’ll be a much-needed rebound for the MCU and help generate genuine excitement for what’s to come. Being a success on streaming should be a cherry on top of a great box office run, not a way to salvage a flop.
There’s also a chance First Steps could surpass Superman‘s debut. This year has seen multiple films exceed expectations in their opening weekends (including Superman). If audiences love Fantastic Four as much as critics, then there could be a path for the MCU reboot to overperform and beat the projections. Regardless, the real test will be how strong its legs are. There aren’t any high-profile studio tentpoles opening in August, so Fantastic Four could be the biggest ticket in town for several weeks.
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of HBO -
Courtesy of Marvel
