The first reviews for The Fantastic Four: First Steps have been, for lack of a better word, fantastic. Now, Deadline has shared some updated tracking data a couple of days before the Marvel Studios reboot arrives in theaters.
According to the trade, it's currently eyeing a $190 million - $210 million global launch, not a bad start for a team of superheroes best known for starring in bad movies.
$90 million - $100 million is the expected international haul, with a conservative $100 million - $110 million North American debut expected. Why conservative? Well, it was only a couple of days ago that we were hearing $130 million - $140 million. We'll see what happens this weekend.
Superman opened to $220 million at the worldwide box office, so it's proving to be a good summer for Marvel and DC as both studios look to shrug off so-called "superhero fatigue."
Advance tickets for The Fantastic Four: First Steps went on sale seven weeks ago and currently sit at $20 million, the same amount Superman made before its $125 million U.S. debut. It's not a contest, but we're sure Kevin Feige is happy this relaunch hasn't been flattened by the Man of Tomorrow.
The movie has been "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes, and that should be a big help heading into the weekend. Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* both underperformed earlier this year, so the MCU will benefit from a box office hit.
In our review, we concluded, "The Fantastic Four is an exceptional introduction to the MCU’s First Family, and thanks to a Jack Kirby-infused feel that’s unlike anything we’ve seen before, it proves to be a quintessential superhero movie with Marvel Studios at its brilliant best."
Are you excited to watch The Fantastic Four: First Steps this weekend?
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.
Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, and Sarah Niles have been cast in supporting roles. Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom is rumoured to appear, though that's surely a given with Avengers: Doomsday on the way.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is directed by Matt Shakman from a screenplay by Josh Friedman and Eric Pearson and Jeff Kaplan & Ian Springer.
The movie is set to be released in theaters on July 25, 2025.