Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps is projected to have a powerful domestic opening, but new box office tracking suggests it may not reach the same heights as its summer rival, DC Studios’ Superman. A new report from Comscore (via Variety) projects the film will earn between $100 million and $110 million in North America during its opening weekend. While this would be a major success for the Marvel Cinematic Universe after a period of commercial inconsistency, it lands below the $125 million domestic debut of James Gunn’s Superman. This forecast sets up a clear financial battleground for Marvel’s First Family to win the summer, as they must leverage the MCU’s historical strength in the international market.
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While Superman had a stellar domestic launch, its overseas opening was a comparatively cooler $95 million. That means Marvel Studios’ biggest bet to reinvigorate its franchise can still overcome the first DC Universe movie by attracting more viewers abroad. For instance, the most recent Marvel blockbuster, Deadpool & Wolverine, became a colossal success by earning $701 million internationally, which significantly surpassed its already massive $636 million domestic total. This pattern of international dominance holds true even for the MCU’s more modest performers. For instance, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania saw its $214.5 million domestic take eclipsed by a $261.5 million performance overseas.
This financial model has become the standard for the modern MCU. 2025’s Captain America: Brave New World finished its run with $415.1 million worldwide, a sum comprised of $200.5 million from domestic audiences and a crucial $214.6 million from international markets. Similarly, Thunderbolts* earned $381.9 million globally, with its $170.2 million domestic gross being smaller than its $211.7 million international haul. This data confirms that for Marvel has a strong international performance that can help it dethrone Superman as the biggest superhero hit of the year.
Everything We Know About The Fantastic Four: First Steps
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set to be a cornerstone of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, tasked with introducing Marvel’s most famous family to a new generation of moviegoers. The film is directed by Matt Shakman, who received an Emmy nomination for his work on Marvel’s hit series WandaVision, and it features an all-star cast. Pedro Pascal leads the team as the brilliant scientist Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), alongside Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm (The Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn as the fiery Johnny Storm (The Human Torch), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the stone-skinned Ben Grimm (The Thing). The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ production budget is reported to be “north of $200 million,” a major investment that highlights the property’s importance to the studio’s future plans, while also underlining the need for it to win big at the box office.
In a bold creative move, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is not set in the primary MCU timeline. Instead, the story unfolds in a vibrant retro-futuristic alternate universe with a distinct 1960s aesthetic. Director Matt Shakman explained that this choice was made to honor the characters’ comic book origins, which are deeply rooted in the scientific optimism of the Space Race era. This unique setting allows the film to establish the Fantastic Four as the premier heroes of their own reality, a world already shaped by Reed Richards’ technological genius, thereby avoiding the need to explain their absence from the main MCU’s history. The primary antagonist of The Fantastic Four: First Steps has been confirmed to be the world-devouring cosmic being Galactus, portrayed by actor Ralph Ineson. He will be accompanied by his herald, a version of the Silver Surfer named Shalla-Bal, played by Julia Garner.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps has recently made headlines for some controversial creative decisions. Shakman confirmed that Oscar-nominee John Malkovich, who was cast as the classic villain Red Ghost, was cut from the final film entirely. The director explained that Malkovich’s scenes, which were part of a sequence showcasing the team’s established history fighting various foes, were removed to streamline the narrative and maintain a tight focus on the threat of Galactus.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 25.
Which movie do you think will have the biggest box office between The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Superman? Place your bets in the comments!
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