Marvel Studios Officially Comments on Whether ‘Fantastic Four’ Flopped

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When The Fantastic Four: First Steps became available on Disney+, it significantly changed how the film was viewed, considering its performance in theaters. Like other Marvel Studios releases planned for 2025, the movie had a difficult time attracting audiences to cinemas. It earned $274.29 million in the US and $247.57 million internationally, totaling $521.86 million worldwide. While this was the highest box office total for any Fantastic Four movie, it was still a relatively low earner compared to other films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

With the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps on Disney+, the streaming service advertised the new Marvel movie with the slogan, “Watch the Box Office Hit Now.” However, despite Marvel Studios trying to position this as their first major success in Phase 6, the movie’s performance doesn’t really back that claim.

So, I’ve been hearing a lot about the budget for the new Fantastic Four movie. Apparently, just making the film cost around $200 million – and that doesn’t even include how much they’re spending on advertising! Because theaters get a big chunk of the ticket sales, the movie needs to make between $400 and $500 million worldwide just to break even. That’s a lot of pressure, even for a Marvel movie!

Despite earning $521.86 million globally, The Fantastic Four probably made between $20 and $120 million in profit. And it will likely continue to generate income through sales of DVDs and Blu-rays, streaming, and merchandise.

Despite being Marvel’s 26th highest-grossing film worldwide, The Fantastic Four was the studio’s biggest hit of the year. It earned more at the box office than both Thunderbolts and Captain America: Brave New World, and ranked as the 10th highest-grossing movie of the entire year.

The film First Steps was a hit with both audiences and critics, earning an 86% approval rating from critics and a 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. It also received an A- grade from CinemaScore.

Although The Fantastic Four likely made back its money, calling it a major success is a stretch. Most people would consider its performance only average.

The Fantastic Four 2 May Finally Give Marvel’s First Family a Big Win

Despite a recent box office setback for Marvel’s Fantastic Four, Disney is moving forward with a sequel. Reports indicate that The Fantastic Four 2 is in development, with the original cast and director Matt Shakman returning for the 2025 film.

Films like Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness saw significant increases in ticket sales compared to their first installments, likely because audiences had grown to love those heroes in earlier Avengers movies.

The Fantastic Four are confirmed to reappear in both Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, sporting fresh, updated looks that will first be seen in their own movie, scheduled for release in 2025. Marvel Studios likely believes featuring the team in these major films will help ensure their success at the box office as the Marvel Cinematic Universe moves forward.

Because The Fantastic Four received generally positive reviews, the 2025 film will likely reach a wider audience on Disney+. Many who didn’t want to pay for a movie theater ticket might still watch it when it becomes available for streaming.

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2025-12-15 09:05