It's a showdown of titans. Come July, film adaptations of two of Marvel and DC's biggest properties will arrive: Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Both carry an immense amount of weight and anticipation for their respective studios.
One one hand, The Fantastic Four is tasked with re-introducing Marvel's First Family into the pop culture eye following two not-so-popular adaptations (2005's Fantastic Four and 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer), and a very disappointing modern reimagining (2015's Fantastic Four). The film also needs to lay the groundwork for Avengers: Doomsday, which will pit the MCU's best and brightest against Doctor Doom.
On the other hand, there's Superman, a film that needs to do two things: First, reintroduce Clark Kent and his mythology to modern audiences. Second, fully kickstart DC's brand-new cinematic universe after the demise of the largely controversial DCEU. This is of particular importance, given that the success of Superman could establish a more optimistic outlook for future DCU installments like Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and Lanterns.
Suffice it to say, both projects are under a lot of pressure to perform. Now, major comic book films release every year, but these two particular projects, given their aforementioned expectations, and the fact that they will be released only two weeks apart from one another (Superman releases July 11; The Fantastic Four releases July 25) have prompted some fans to wonder who will be the ultimate box office champion between the two.
With that in mind, we want to know what the ComicBookMovie community thinks: Which one of these two behemoths will reign supreme? Will Superman soar and leave a more lasting impression on general audiences than the Fantastic Four? Or, will Marvel's First Family find more monetary success than the Man of Steel's latest standalone installment?
It's important to note, this is not meant to put one film above the other. Let's face it: We are comic book geeks, and most of us are equally excited for both projects. However, it is interesting to ponder which film will find the most success once the dust fanned by box-office dollars settles. So, hop on to the comments and let your thoughts fly (no pun intended, but now that I think about it, I stand by it, and I regret nothing).
Superman will be released on July 11, 2025. The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrives in theaters on July 25, 2025.