In the ever-competitive world of superhero blockbusters, Marvel’s latest entry, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, has reportedly come up short against DC’s Superman in their respective opening weekend box office takes, at least according to Sunday projections.
While both films represent fresh starts for iconic characters and have been hailed as successes in revitalizing their franchises, the numbers tell a clear story. Superman soared higher, both domestically and worldwide, claiming a tight victory in this head-to-head matchup.
The cast of Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
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Directed by Matt Shakman and starring Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, The Fantastic Four: First Steps launched into theaters on July 25, 2025, with high expectations.
The film, marking the Fantastic Four’s official entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox, grossed $118 million domestically over its three-day opening weekend. This figure, while impressive and a massive improvement over the disastrous $25 million debut of 2015’s Fantastic Four, fell short of Superman’s domestic opening of $125 million just two weeks earlier on July 11, 2025.
David Corenswet as Superman flying in James Gunn’s “Superman” – YouTube, DC
Domestically, there’s no debate—Superman won the round, pulling in about 6% more in ticket sales during its debut frame.
The gap, though narrow, highlights the challenges Marvel faces in a post-Avengers: Endgame landscape, where audience fatigue with superhero fare has been a recurring concern.
Superman, helmed by James Gunn and featuring David Corenswet in the iconic role, benefited from strong word-of-mouth and positive reviews, earning an A- CinemaScore from audiences—matching Fantastic Four’s grade but translating to slightly stronger initial turnout.
Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm in The Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
Both films were critical for their studios: Fantastic Four sets up key players for future MCU events like Avengers: Doomsday in late 2026, while Superman kicks off DC’s rebooted universe, paving the way for films like Supergirl next summer.
Turning to the global stage, the competition remains tight, but Superman appears to still edge out the victory.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps amassed an estimated $218 million worldwide in its opening weekend, combining its $118 million domestic haul with approximately $100 million from international markets. In comparison, Superman made it to $220 million globally during its debut, with $95 million coming from overseas territories.
Lex Luthor in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC
It’s worth noting that early estimates for Superman’s worldwide opening varied slightly, with some reports pegging it at $217 million before final tallies confirmed the higher figure. Regardless, the Man of Steel’s performance has propelled it to cumulative worldwide earnings exceeding $500 million just weeks after release, a milestone that Fantastic Four will aim to chase in the coming months.
Contextually, both movies arrived at a pivotal time for the genre. Coming off poorly received predecessors—Zack Snyder’s divisive films for DC and the 2015 Fantastic Four flop for Marvel under the Fox banner—these reboots needed to deliver. And in many ways, they have: positive critical reception (both hovering around 80% on Rotten Tomatoes) and audience enthusiasm suggest long legs at the box office.
Yet, in this direct comparison, Fantastic Four couldn’t quite stretch to Superman’s heights.
Galactus in Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
For movie theaters, the one-two punch of these superhero hits, alongside other summer successes like Jurassic World Rebirth’s $148 million five-day debut and Lilo & Stitch’s $1 billion worldwide, has provided much-needed relief after a sluggish start to the year. F1 also joined Superman in crossing the $500 million mark this weekend.
Still, Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch remains the summer’s undisputed champ with its $146 million opening, outpacing both super hero outings.
Krypto the Super Dog in Superman – YouTube, DC
As the dust settles, DC can celebrate a win in this rivalry, but Marvel isn’t far behind. With Fantastic Four’s stars set to return in major crossovers, the real test will be longevity. For now, though, Superman stands tall as the super hero opening weekend box office king of July 2025.
How do you feel about Fantastic Four losing to Superman in this opening weekend box office comparison? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
