Disney CEO Says The Fantastic Four: First Steps Is an Original Property, Reacts to Box Office

Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, expressed his thoughts about The Fantastic Four: First Steps, stating that the company views this project as an entirely new creation.

What did Disney CEO Bob Iger say about sequels and new IP?

On Wednesday morning, Disney held a crucial earnings discussion where CEO Bob Iger discussed the company’s upcoming plans. A significant point of conversation revolved around introducing The Fantastic Four, Marvel’s original family, into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Despite three previously released live-action Fantastic Four films, Iger considers the 2025 version as a fresh franchise for Disney, marking a new beginning in their Marvel endeavors.

Iger stated through Variety that we’re creating unique productions under both the 20th Century and Searchlight labels. Additionally, it can be debated that Marvel is still extracting its character library for new properties. Despite previous Fantastic Four films, our version could essentially be seen as a fresh property because it introduces these characters to audiences who may not have been previously acquainted with them.

To begin with, “First Steps” currently holds the title as the highest-earning film within the Fantastic Four series. This Marvel-produced journey made an impressive debut at the domestic box office, raking in $117.6 million on its opening weekend. However, despite receiving favorable critiques from both critics and audiences, “First Steps” saw a significant decline in earnings during its second week, dropping approximately 66% to gross around $40 million.

Despite Marvel’s Fantastic Four failing to reach billion-dollar success, it is still expected to turn a profit. However, the ambition of it becoming a blockbuster has been thwarted. Nonetheless, Iger views First Steps as a hit because it effectively introduced this significant franchise into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Disney’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps is just one more instance where they are capitalizing on well-known intellectual properties (IP). For the rest of 2025, Disney’s schedule is brimming with sequels, remakes, and franchise titles like Freaky Friday, Tron: Ares, Zootopia 2, and Avatar: Fire and Ash, all scheduled for release by year-end.

Even with an abundance of intellectual properties (IP), Iger underscored Disney’s commitment to developing new IP. However, he emphasized that ultimately, it’s all about producing exceptional films that truly matter.

Robert Iger clarified, “We’re persistently dedicated to developing fresh intellectual properties. These are invaluable to us in the long run, but it’s also crucial to acknowledge the enduring popularity of our existing IP. We can capitalize on this by creating sequels or transforming animation into live-action, as we plan to with Moana in 2026. This strategy benefits our company and aligns with our franchise goals. Therefore, neither new nor old IP takes precedence over the other. Our primary objective is to deliver exceptional films that connect with audiences.

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2025-08-06 18:40