Fantastic Four: First Steps Rockets to Solid Opening Despite Challenges
So here’s the deal with Fantastic Four: First Steps — Marvel’s latest reboot just hit theaters and, while it didn’t completely blow the roof off the box office, it still made a pretty strong entrance. The film opened to a respectable $118 million in the U.S. and $218 million globally over its first weekend. That’s not quite the home run some industry insiders were expecting — earlier projections were closer to $125 million domestically — but it’s still a win in today’s post-Covid box office climate, especially for a franchise reboot.
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Now, let’s break it down. Friday started strong with $57 million, but there was a noticeable dip by Saturday — a 42% drop, which is pretty steep compared to other recent superhero flicks like Superman or Deadpool & Wolverine . That kind of drop usually means the audience was front-loaded — in other words, the die-hard fans showed up on day one, and interest cooled a bit afterward. Families, who typically show up in bigger numbers on Saturdays, didn’t turn out as much this time. Only 8% of the audience was under 13, and rural and suburban markets — where more families live — underperformed by about 13%.
That being said, Fantastic Four: First Steps still delivered in a lot of other ways. Older audiences really showed up for it, especially those 35 and up. The movie also did incredibly well on premium formats — IMAX alone brought in $16 million, making up 14% of the total domestic gross. That's one of the highest IMAX shares for a Marvel movie, ever.
The film, directed by WandaVision ’s Matt Shakman, leans into a unique 1960s retro-futuristic vibe, which might have appealed more to older audiences and longtime comic fans. It also introduced a fresh take on Marvel’s first family — with Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach leading the cast — and brought in a big new villain, Galactus. Despite skepticism from some corners about whether a period superhero film could connect with modern audiences, Disney’s marketing seems to have paid off, especially with younger adults and diverse demographics.
So, while the movie didn’t quite hit the highest end of its expectations, it’s far from a flop. It outpaced many recent Marvel releases in early social buzz, got solid audience scores, and is now the fourth film this year to open above $100 million. If anything, it shows that while the superhero genre might be evolving, it’s definitely not over. Marvel's First Family is back — and off to a strong start.
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