When a movie stumbles in its second weekend, it’s a sign that it didn’t quite connect with general audiences. But when it continues declining in its third weekend as well, there’s cause for concern. Marvel’sThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsactually had an encouraging debut, out-grossing bothCaptain America: Brave New WorldandThunderbolts*; the movie also earned the approval of both critics and audiences. The film has sinceout-grossed the lifetime hauls of both its MCU predecessors, but there’s no denying that it has underperformed commercially. It was clear by its second weekend that it had appealed only to Marvel’s core fanbase.
In its third weekend, however, itpassed the all-important $400 million mark globally, overtaking a few major titles along the way. With over $230 million domestically and another $203 million from overseas markets, thefilm’s running global haul stands at $434 million.The Fantastic Fourcost a reported $200 million-plus to produce, which is standard for most studio tent poles these days, but higher than the $180 million reported price tags of bothCaptain America 4andThunderbolts*. The movie was designed as a grand re-launch of Marvel’s “First Family,” and served as their introduction to the MCU.The Fantastic Fourmight not have joined the ranks of the franchise’s top-grossing films, but its $ million haul puts it ahead ofMission: Impossible III,Eternals, andJason Statham’s recent action sequelMeg 2: The Trench.
Directed by the unlikelyBen Wheatley, who remains best known for his indie genre films,Meg 2cost a reported $120 million to produce, and concluded its run with a hair under $400 million worldwide. It earnedpoor reviews— the movie is currently sitting at a “rotten” 27% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes — butseemed to please Statham’s target audience.The Fantastic Fourearned an excellent 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, which makes its box office spiral all the more concerning.
‘The Fantastic Four’s Positive Reviews Didn’t Translate Into Box Office Returns
The film’s official Rotten Tomatoes score still stands at a “certified fresh” 86%. The website’s consensus reads, “Benefitting from rock-solid cast chemistry and clad in appealingly retro 1960s design, this crack atThe Fantastic Fourdoes Marvel’s First Family justice.” The Fantastic Four, played byPedro Pascal,Vanessa Kirby,Joseph Quinn, andEbon Moss-Bachrach, will return in next year’sAvengers: Endgame, which is the only MCU film lined up for 2026. you may watchThe Fantastic Fourin theaters, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
