411 Box Office Report: Fantastic Four: First Steps Storms To #1, Superman Holds On Decently

Marvel displaced DC atop the box office as Fantastic Four: First Steps claimed #1 this weekend, though Superman had a decent hold for #2. The latest film in the MCU took the top spot with $118 million. That’s on the low end of where it was expected to open, but still within range and the best MCU opening since Deadpool & Wolverine took in $211.4 million a year ago this frame.

Fantastic Four is easily the best opening for Marvel’s First Family on screen. It more than doubled the previous high of 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer ($58.1 million) and opened at over double the entire domestic run of 2015’s reboot flop. All the previous FF films were at Fox. In terms of the MCU, take Deadpool & Wolverine out of the equation and it’s the best start since Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 opened to essentially the same ($118.4 million) in May of 2023.

While some might consider this a disappointing start, this is all very encouraging news for Marvel. The studio has been in rebuilding mode and the opening is far better than 2025’s other MCU films Thunderbolts* ($74.3 million) and Captain America: Brave New World ($88.8 million). The film is also a period film that is set in another timeline from the main MCU universe, making two other reasons people were more skeptical of it per market research.

All that said, things are turning out fairly well here. The critical consensus is largely very positive with an 87% aggregated average on Rotten Tomatoes and a 93% RT audience score, as well as an A- CinemaScore. Those numbers are all remarkably similar to Superman, which opened to a very similar $125 million a few weeks ago. Fantastic Four grossed slightly more overseas than Superman in its first weekend with $100 million to give it $218 million worldwide compared to Superman’s $217 million. Bottom line – both Marvel and DC have reasons to breathe a sigh of relief this month. Fantastic Four cost $200 million and without any major blockbuster-style films opening in the coming weeks, the film should easily make it to a profit margin. A domestic total of $300 million seems thoroughly within range unless it drops further than expected.

As for Superman, it held up well considering it was up against a Marvel film. The James Gunn-directed superhero film was down 57%, not bad at all considering its good hold last weekend, to $24.9 million. Superman is now approaching certified hit status with $289.5 million domestically and $502.7 million worldwide against a $225 million budget. It is just a hair’s breadth away from passing Man of Steel’s $289.5 million domestic total on the same budget of that film at $225 million. (Man of Steel is further ahead worldwide, at $668 million). As it stands Superman seems likely to top $330 million domestically and has officially given the DC Universe life.

Jurassic World Rebirth, had a great hold in its fourth weekend as it was down just 45% to $13 million. The dino film is up to $301.5 million domestically and an impressive $718.4 million worldwide, a sizable hit for Universal against a production budget of $180 million. The film is still taking aim at about $325 million domestically.

F1: The Movie continues to truck along, down a mere 37% in its fifth weekend with $6.2 million. The Apple Original film pushed its totals to $165.6 million stateside and $509.7 million worldwide against a $200 million budget, making it a hit for Apple and likely to close out around $180 million in the US.

The Smurfs was down 51% in its second weekend to take in $5.4 million. That’s not great for a film that has already opened low and largely solidifies its fate unless the overseas grosses bail it out. As it stands, the movie has $22.8 million stateside and $69.1 million worldwide, still unlikely to be profitable against a $58 million budget.

On the flip side, I Know What You Did Last Summer had a further fall but in better shape as the legacy slasher sequel slipped an expected 60% to $5.1 million. As we mentioned last week, this is now Scream nor did Sony Pictures expect it to be. However, it is moving to profit as the horror flick is at $23.6 million domestically and $45.6 million worldwide against an $18 million budget, with a likely $30 million-plus final take in the US.

How To Train Your Dragon hit a new milestone as it crossed $600 million worldwide. The live-action remake was off 48% to $2.8 million in its seventh weekend and now has $257.1 million domestically and $605.9 million worldwide against its $150 million budget. Obviously, that makes it quite the hit and it’s looking like it will get to around $265 million in the US.

Ari Aster’s Eddington was always going to be divisive and that comes with hard falls. The Western dark comedy was down 62% to $1.7 million, putting its numbers at $8.1 million in the US. (It has yet to open overseas.) It is currently essentially tied with Beau is Afraid ($8.2 million) and should make it to about $12 million. The budget was $25 million.

Coming in at #8 was the Hindi-language romantic drama Saiyaara, which performed well at a $1.4 million take. The film opened last weekend and now has $3.4 million in the US, with $37.9 million worldwide against a reported $5.8 million budget. Obviously, this is a hit.

Sony Pictures Classics’ romcom Oh, Hi! closed out the top 10 with $1.1 million. The indie film, which Sony Classic picked up following its premiere at Sundance, won’t stay in the top 10 long and is made for digital play, with the theatrical release strictly for awards qualifying runs and raising its profile. No word on its budget.

Fantastic Four will stay at the top next weekend as it comes up against two newcomers: the Naked Gun reboot targeting a $20 million to $25 million start, and the animated Bad Guys 2 which will be at $25 million to $30 million.

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN (Three-Day Domestic Numbers)
1. The Fantastic Four: First Steps – $118 million ($118 million total, $218 million WW)
2. Superman – $24.9 million ($289.5 million total, $502.7 million WW)
3. Jurassic World Rebirth – $13 million ($301.5 million total, $718.4 million WW)
4. F1: The Movie – $6.2 million ($165.6 million total, $509.7 million WW)
5. The Smurfs – $5.4 million ($22.8 million total, $69.1 million WW)
6. I Know What You Did Last Summer – $5.1 million ($23.6 million total, $45.6 million WW)
7. How To Train Your Dragon – $2.8 million ($257 million total, $605.9 million WW)
8. Eddington – $1.7 million ($8.1 million total, $8.1 million WW)
9. Saiyaara – $1.4 million ($3.4 million total, $37.9 million WW)
10. Oh, Hi! – $1.1 million ($1.1 million total, $1.1 million WW)