The Fantastic Four: First Steps Just Set an MCU Record for 2025

Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps is flying to new heights. The movie, which marks the third Marvel Studios release this year, following Captain America: Brave New World and The Thunderbolts*, just set a new record for the Marvel Cinematic Universe this year. Captain America: Brave New World received mixed reviews from fans and critics alike, only earning $88.84 million in its opening weekend stateside. While Thunderbolts*, which was well-received among critics and fans, only earned $74.3 million stateside in its opening weekend. First Steps outstripped both.

Marvel’s First Family looks set to surpass both of 2025’s other Marvel films with a reported domestic opening of $118 million, which could very well grow depending on the movie’s Sunday performance at the box office. For those eager to compare both The Fantastic Four: First Steps and DC Studios’ Superman, the latter opened to $125 million, well above the film’s estimated opening of $120 million after a surprising Sunday holdover.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ global estimated are estimated to be $218 million worldwide, which is just $2 million below Superman‘s worldwide opening of $220 million worldwide. Still, that’s an impressive feat for the film that has already surpassed Fox’s 2015 reboot which only earned $56.1 million stateside throughout its entire theatrical run and ultimately earned just $167.88 million worldwide at the box office.

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Marvel Studios has had a bumpy year at the box office, with Captain America: Brave New World not performing all that well. The film earned a Rotten score of 46% on Rotten Tomatoes and only earned just $415.1 million worldwide at the box office. While not a terrible open by any means, it’s on the lower end for a superhero title, especially one for Marvel Studios. Then there was Thunderbolts, which was well received, even earning a Fresh rating of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, with audiences giving it a higher score of 93% on the popcornmeter. Still, despite the film’s positive word-of-mouth, it only pulled in $382.19 million worldwide at the box office. The Fantastic Four: First Steps looks ready to get the studio back on track.

As it stands, The Fantastic Four: First Steps has earned a Fresh rating of 87% on Rotten Tomatoes and a well-earned 93% on the popcornmeter by audiences. The film also looks like to outearn the first two Fantastic Four films by Fox: 2005’s Fantastic Four and 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. The first movie earned $154.69 million domestically throughout its entire run, and $333.5 million worldwide. The sequel earned $131.92 million domestically and $301.91 million worldwide. First Steps will outperform both domestically by its second weekend, and perhaps even surpass their worldwide totals by then too. Fans can currently stream Fox’s Fantastic Four films now on Hulu and Disney+.

Directed by WandaVision‘s Matt Shakman, from a screenplay by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer, the film stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, Ralph Ineson as Galactus, and Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is now playing exclusively in theaters.