The Marvel Cinematic Universe’sThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsjust passed a major MCU release at the box office. Released on July 25, the star-studded space-faring epic takes place on a retro-futuristic Earth, where The Fantastic Four have completely changed humanity’s direction. Unfortunately, they are forced to go face-to-face with the cosmic entity Galactus (Ralph Ineson).
Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby led the production as Reed Richards and Sue Storm, alongside Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm), Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm), and Julia Garner (the Silver Surfer). It proved to be a critical success, earning the only positive score intheFantastic Four’s theatrical historyon Rotten Tomatoes.
With a projected $15 million third weekend at the domestic box office, according to a report byDeadline, Marvel’s First Family has vaulted above one of its most acclaimed post-pandemic releases. With around$230 million domestic, it will officially surpassShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings(2021), whichearned just $225 millionwhen it first released.
What This Means For The MCU
While it is good to see Marvel surpassing previous releases,some elements were holdingShang-Chiback. It was released afterthe COVID-19 pandemic beganand before theaters truly began to recover in the aftermath. There has also been significant inflation since its release, asthat $225 million total would be $277 million today, just four years later.
A true comparison between the two movies is not entirely possible, but this does indicate a shift in perception of the MCU. After all, Marvel has suffered several disappointments recently, includingAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania(2023),The Marvels(2023), andCaptain America: Brave New World(2025).
Marvel is hoping to rebuild its reputation, andFantastic Four(2025) is one of the first steps in that process. It received critical acclaim and positive audience reception, and it has earnedmore thanBrave New WorldandThunderbolts' domestic totals. There is some degree of growth for Marvel, and thisShang-Chimilestone is another positive note.
Our Take On Fantastic Four: First Steps' Milestone
While this is a positive direction for Marvel, the studio still needs more.Fantastic Fourhad a $200 million budget, so profitability is still possible when considering the global tally. Unfortunately, it had$385.3 million worldwide before this weekend, and it needs around $500 million to break even. Given its sharp declines each weekend, that total is unlikely.
If a star-studded cast, positive reception from critics and audiences, and exciting trailers were not enough to entice audiences to head to theaters, the future of the MCU is bleak. Marvel desperately needs to recover whenAvengers: Doomsdayis released on June 18, 2025. Otherwise, the future of the universe could be in doubt.
It should be noted, however, thatThe Fantastic Four: First Stepswas released beforeThunderbolts*became fully available on Disney+. When both movies become accessible to audiences who skipped their theatrical runs, those back-to-back acclaimed releases could change opinions about the franchise. For now, the MCU needs to hope that it has thoroughly improved its reputation.
