The Fantastic Four: First Steps has finally landed, and while the numbers look solid, the global box office is revealing a deeper story about where superhero flicks stand in 2025.
Marvel and Disney’s latest reboot blasted off with a $218M worldwide opening, which, while higher than projections going into the weekend, is already raising questions about genre fatigue and regional challenges. The international slice of that pie stands at $100M, making up about 46% of the total, a ratio that used to be much higher for Marvel titles.
The film opened strong in several key markets, nabbing the biggest superhero launch of the year in Mexico, the UK, France, Italy, Spain, and across much of Europe and Latin America. In Mexico alone, First Steps brought in $6.2M, with the UK following closely at $5.7M. That’s ahead of Thunderbolts, Superman, and Captain America: Brave New World across like-for-like territories at today’s rates.
But things are trickier in Asia. China, once a goldmine for Marvel, is now a mixed bag, with First Steps opening to lukewarm response. Japan and Korea were also hard to crack, thanks to strong local competition like Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle and Omniscient Reader. These local giants are pulling attention away from U.S. studio films, showing that the formula isn’t hitting the same way it used to.
Domestically, the movie is performing better than expected. With $120M-$125M projected for its full weekend take in the U.S., the numbers are encouraging. But the overseas balance is off, and it’s sparking conversation. Is this about the characters, the storytelling, or just too many capes in the theaters?
Meanwhile, Marvel’s new squad helped push Disney past the $3 billion global box office milestone, making it the first studio to hit that number in 2025. The movie stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Julia Garner, and is directed by Matt Shakman.
Some standout data: France recorded the third highest opening day of the year, beating out Thunderbolts by 84%, Superman by 80%, and Brave New World by 57%. In Australia, the film scored the biggest Marvel opening day of the year, 57% higher than Thunderbolts. Germany went wild too, opening 136% ahead of Superman.
And let’s not forget the bigger box office picture. Jurassic World Rebirth has now passed $718M globally, F1 from Apple and Warner Bros is sitting pretty at $509M, and Superman has officially crossed the $500M mark. Even 28 Years Later is quietly killing it with a worldwide haul of $150M.
The real question is whether Fantastic Four: First Steps can sustain the momentum in week two. Marvel has rebooted this property more times than we can count, but early signs show they might have finally found a groove, even if they’re still figuring out how to get Asia back on board.
Jamie Wells has a knack for getting the inside scoop on Hollywood’s biggest stars and up-and-coming talent. With a sharp eye for industry trends and an ear for viral moments, Jamie covers everything from red-carpet events to behind-the-scenes drama in movies, TV, and celebrity culture.
