LOS ANGELES (AP) — Marvel's first family has finally struck box office gold with the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The film, which marks the first superhero film produced under the guidance of Kevin Feige and the Walt Disney Company, earned an impressive $118 million in its opening weekend across 4,125 North American theaters, according to studio estimates released on Sunday.
This opening weekend result positions the film as the fourth biggest debut of the year, trailing behind notable titles like A Minecraft Movie, Lilo & Stitch, and Superman. It also represents the largest Marvel opening since Deadpool & Wolverine debuted with $211 million last summer. Internationally, Fantastic Four saw earnings of $100 million from 52 territories, culminating in a robust $218 million worldwide debut. These figures align closely with the studio's expectations.
The film's release follows the success of another major superhero reboot, James Gunn's Superman, which launched three weekends ago and has already surpassed $500 million globally. That film, created by DC Studios, took the second spot at the weekend box office with $24.9 million in domestic earnings.
Fantastic Four: First Steps represents the latest endeavor to bring the beloved superhuman family back to the big screen, following a series of previous adaptations that failed to resonate with audiences. Set in the 1960s within a retro-futuristic universe, the film follows a family of astronauts-turned-superhumans who gained their powers from exposure to cosmic rays during a space mission. The protagonists include Reed Richards (portrayed by Pedro Pascal), who possesses the ability to stretch his body; Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), who can become invisible; Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), who transforms into a fiery human torch; and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), endowed with extraordinary strength due to his stone-like skin.
The narrative unfolds four years after the family acquires their powers, showcasing Reed's groundbreaking technological advancements and Sue's diplomatic efforts, which have fostered global peace during this era.
Both critics and audiences have responded positively to the film, which currently holds an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, along with encouraging exit poll responses from its opening weekend viewers. Notably, an estimated 46% of ticket buyers opted to experience the film in premium formats such as IMAX and other large-screen options.
Having previously set records, Marvel is now working to rekindle audience enthusiasm for its films and characters. The studio's recent offerings this year have not reached the box office heights of Deadpool & Wolverine, which grossed over $1.3 billion, nor those of the Avengers era. However, critically, Marvel's films have shown signs of improvement since the release of Captain America: Brave New World, which garnered a lukewarm $415 million worldwide. Thunderbolts, another recent title marking the start of the summer movie season, was better received critically but has only managed to pull in just over $382 million globally.
Historically, the Fantastic Four characters were associated with 20th Century Fox until Disney's acquisition of Fox's entertainment assets for $71 billion in 2019. Previous attempts to adapt the franchise included two films in the mid-2000s featuring Chris Evans as the Human Torch, followed by an unsuccessful reboot in 2015 starring Michael B. Jordan and Miles Teller.
As the weekend's box office figures are finalized on Monday, here are the top 10 movies based on domestic ticket sales from Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, as reported by Comscore:
1. The Fantastic Four: First Steps, $118 million.
2. Superman, $24.9 million.
3. Jurassic World Rebirth, $13 million.
4. F1: The Movie, $6.2 million.
5. Smurfs, $5.4 million.
6. I Know What You Did Last Summer, $5.1 million.
7. How to Train Your Dragon, $2.8 million.
8. Eddington, $1.7 million.
9. Saiyaara, $1.3 million.
10. Oh, Hi!, $1.1 million.
