The Fantastic Four: First Steps was hit with a 66% drop at the domestic box office during its second weekend in theaters after a strong debut. Even so, the movie has now passed the $200 million mark in North America, and is performing better than Marvel Studios' previous 2025 releases, Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts*.
Granted, this isn't exactly a major accomplishment.
It's impossible to deny that Marvel movies (and superhero films in general) simply aren't the massive box office draws they once were, with $1 billion hits such as Deadpool and Wolverine now the exception rather than the norm. While Marvel/Disney were almost certainly hoping that First Steps would be a bigger hit, is it reasonable to suggest that studio execs are now at panic stations?
Sky is falling-type articles do the rounds after any Marvel movie is perceived to be underperforming, and the latest from The Wrap - "Fantastic Four Box Office Dive Is a Bad Omen for Marvel’s Future" - makes the claim that the MCU’s appeal beyond its most hardcore fans must now be in question.
It's a reasonable enough assessment after the year the studio has had, but it doesn't sound like Marvel is planning to make any significant course corrections any time soon.
During today's earnings call, Disney's Bob Iger said that The Fantastic Four had “successfully launched this important franchise into the Marvel Cinematic Universe,” which could indicate that more FF movies are in the early planning stages. Even if they aren't, we know that the main characters will return for Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.
“We continue to be focused on creating new IP,” Iger continued. “Obviously, that’s of great value to us long term. But we also know that the popularity of our older IP remains significant, and the opportunities to either produce sequels or convert what was previously animation to live action, like we’re doing with ‘Moana’ in 2026, it’s just a great opportunity for the company and supports our franchise. So I wouldn’t say that we’ve got a priority one way or the other. Our priority is to put out great movies that ultimately resonate with consumers.”
“Of course, we are developing original property under the 20th Century banner and under the Searchlight banner. And look, you could even argue that Marvel continues to mine its library of characters for original property. Even though, for instance, there have been Fantastic Four movies before, we kind of consider the one we did an original property in many respects, because we’re introducing those characters to people who are not familiar with them at all.”
First Steps stars Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us, The Mandalorian) as Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby (Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning) as Sue Storm, aka the Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things, A Quiet Place Day One) as Johnny Storm, aka The Human Torch, Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Punisher, The Bear) as Ben Grimm, aka the Thing, and Julia Garner (Wolf Man, Ozark) as the Silver Surfer.
Ralph Ineson plays Galactus, and Natasha Lyonne and Paul Walter Hauser are also on board in undisclosed roles. John Malkovich's Red Ghost has been cut from the movie.
"Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet.
Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal."
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is now in theaters.