Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps has hit a rough patch with its first Monday box office numbers, released unusually late on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. The film earned $10.4 million domestically, a figure that raises concerns for Marvel, especially when compared to recent superhero films and the studio’s expectations for a strong rebound.
This Monday haul falls short of DC Studios’ Superman, which grossed $12.9 million on its first Monday, July 14, 2025. More strikingly, it lags behind Marvel’s 2023 underperformer Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which pulled in $14.28 million on its first Monday. Even Captain America: Brave New World, considered a major commercial disappointment with an $88.8 million opening weekend, outperformed First Steps on its first Monday with $11.17 million.
Julia Garner as the Silver Surfer in The Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
The late release of these numbers—among the last films to report for the day—suggests hesitation from the studio, possibly to downplay the underwhelming performance. First Steps opened to $117.6 million domestically and $216.7 million globally, trailing Superman’s $125 million domestic and $220 million global debut.
While the film was praised by some for its retro-futuristic style and strong ensemble, including Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, its Monday drop signals potential trouble in sustaining audience interest.
The cast of Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
Analysts expected First Steps to leverage its 86% Rotten Tomatoes score, 64% Criticless score, and A- CinemaScore to reverse Marvel’s recent theatrical struggles, following lackluster performances from Captain America: Brave New World ($413.6 million globally) and Thunderbolts ($382.1 million globally). However, the Monday numbers suggest a front-loaded weekend, with a projected second-weekend decline of around 60%, potentially landing at $47 million domestically.
Several factors may explain the dip. The film faced direct competition from Superman, which retained strong audience interest in its third weekend, grossing $24.9 million. Additionally, First Steps saw lower family attendance (17% versus the genre’s typical 21% for PG-13 superhero films), particularly in suburban and rural markets, according to EntTelligence.
The Thing and Herbie the Robot in Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
This demographic shortfall could limit its staying power, despite premium format contributions like IMAX, which accounted for 13.6% of its opening weekend.
Marvel had high hopes for First Steps to kick off Phase Six of the MCU and set the stage for Avengers: Doomsday. The film’s $200 million-plus production budget, coupled with significant marketing costs, means it needs sustained box office momentum to break even. While its global debut of $218 million is a franchise record for Fantastic Four, the Monday figures cast doubt on its ability to match the longevity of top MCU performers, all of which crossed $300 million domestically after opening above $117 million.
Galactus in Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
As Marvel looks ahead, the studio may need to reassess its strategy to regain audience trust after a string of inconsistent releases. First Steps’ box office trajectory suggests Marvel’s first family still faces an uphill battle to reclaim the MCU’s former glory.
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