‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Pre-Sales Lead Other 2025 Marvel Films but Trail Behind ‘Superman’

Marvel Studios is getting ready to launch Fantastic Four: First Steps later this month, and Disney is hoping it will bring in the last big $100 million-plus opening of the summer.

The film is set to hit theaters in the U.S. on July 25, with early tracking predicting an opening weekend somewhere between $100 million and $110 million.

Even though there’s been talk around Hollywood about Disney feeling nervous, the numbers suggest things are looking solid. As of Monday, presales reached $13 million. That puts Fantastic Four: First Steps ahead of two other Marvel movies releasing this year, Thunderbolts*, which opened with $74.3 million, and Captain America: Brave New World, which did $88.8 million in its first three days.

However, the new Fantastic Four film is still about 20% behind Superman, which had a $125 million opening, according to industry tracking reports.

Expectations for this movie are much higher than for previous Fantastic Four films. This time, it’s being overseen by Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige, with WandaVision director Matt Shakman behind the camera. That’s a big change from the last reboot in 2015, directed by Josh Trank, which opened poorly with just $25.6 million and barely made $56.1 million in the U.S. and $167.9 million worldwide.

People are hoping this new film avoids the same fate. Still, some experts say the Fantastic Four brand might have a box office limit. After all, the highest opening for the franchise so far was 2007’s Rise of the Silver Surfer, which brought in $58 million. That wasn’t much higher than the first movie in 2005, which opened at $56 million.

A lot may depend on the reviews. As one source explained, “Just like reviews convinced audiences to go to Superman for the nth time, so will they persuade non-frequent moviegoers here on Fantastic Four.”

The film cost around $200 million to make, which is pretty standard for Marvel Studios. It’s not the most expensive MCU film, Avengers: Endgame still holds that record with a $400 million budget, but First Steps is the most costly Marvel movie of the year.

The timing of the release is also worth noting. It comes right after Jurassic World Rebirth and Superman, two films that have done well at the box office.

But even with that competition, Disney doesn’t need Fantastic Four to break records. With its budget, it just needs to open strong and keep steady in the weeks after. Since it’s the last big studio blockbuster of the summer, it should have a clear path through August, giving Marvel a much-needed hit after some recent struggles.

Fantastic Four: First Steps will have its world premiere on July 21 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles before opening in theaters everywhere on July 25. It’s also the first film in Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and a sequel is already in development.

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