After just one weekend in theaters, The Fantastic Four: First Steps has already made significant waves at the box office, surpassing the earnings of previous Marvel films, including the 2015 Fantastic Four reboot.
The new film’s opening-day gross alone outperformed the entire domestic haul of the 2015 reboot, which had a total run of $167 million. Within its first three days, The Fantastic Four: First Steps has eclipsed this figure and is now sitting at an impressive $218 million worldwide.
Breaking down the numbers, the film has earned $118 million domestically and an additional $100 million from international markets. This strong showing means that the latest installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has already outgrossed what was once considered the franchise’s biggest box office failure in just three days of release.
In contrast, The Marvels—another recent MCU release—struggled at the box office despite receiving mixed to positive reviews. Its total global gross was $206.1 million, with $84.5 million coming from domestic audiences and $121.6 million internationally.
When evaluating a film’s success, the ratio of box office gross to production budget often holds more weight than critical reception alone. A lower-budget film can quickly become profitable, but larger blockbuster films require significantly higher earnings to break even.
The Marvels had a reported production budget of around $270 million, partly due to costly reshoots, and it failed to recoup its production costs. In comparison, The Fantastic Four: First Steps had a reported budget of $200 million—a figure it has already surpassed in box office receipts.
However, to break even, it is estimated that The Fantastic Four: First Steps will need to earn around $400 million, accounting for production and promotional costs, which can push the total needed to approximately $500 million.
Several factors contribute to why The Fantastic Four: First Steps is outperforming The Marvels. The Fantastic Four characters have stronger brand recognition compared to the relatively lesser-known leads of The Marvels.
Additionally, The Fantastic Four was released during the prime summer blockbuster season, giving it a natural advantage in attracting large audiences. Another factor is the lack of required prior knowledge or connection to a Disney+ television series, making it more accessible to casual viewers.
Moreover, there is considerable fan speculation surrounding Robert Downey Jr.’s rumored cameo as Doctor Doom, potentially setting up a lead-in to the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday film. This anticipation likely boosted interest and ticket sales among MCU fans eager for the next phase of the franchise.
While The Fantastic Four: First Steps is currently enjoying box office success, the real test will be its ability to sustain ticket sales in the coming weeks. So far, it is safely far from being labeled a box office bomb like The Marvels. Its strong start highlights the continued appeal of the Fantastic Four characters and signals promising prospects for the film’s future in the MCU lineup.
