Summary

20-year-old Fantastic Four movie shines on Disney Plus despite low ratings.
Marvel fans flock to older Fantastic Four content on Disney Plus in anticipation of new release.
The franchise's dominance on Disney Plus hints at long-term love from audiences despite recent box office struggles.

When it comes to movies dominating the streaming world, most people assume that services like Disney Plus, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video will be dominated by the latest and greatest films or all-time classics from the past. However, that’s not always the case, as there can often be some surprising movies and television shows that perform well.

That’s the case right now, as a 20-year-old superhero movie is currently thriving on Disney Plus, even though it only has a 28% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It proves that quality isn’t always the most important aspect.

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How does the MCU debut of Marvel's first family stack up? The Fantastic Four: First Steps' Rotten Tomatoes score has been revealed.

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By Timothy McClelland

Fantastic Four Is Thriving On Disney Plus

The 2005 Movie Sees The Superheroes Battle Against Dr. Doom

The cast of the 2005 Fantastic Four movie

Currently, the 2005 film Fantastic Four is performing well on Disney Plus, a movie that few people would expect to be in the top 10, considering the numerous high-quality movies available on the streaming platform, especially in the superhero genre. The film features a talented cast, with Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, and Chris Evans taking on the titular roles. The story revolves around the Fantastic Four's attempt to save the world from Dr. Doom's evil plans, and was the first of two movies based on this version of the group. Of course, with the current Fantastic Four gearing up to face Doom in Avengers: Doomsday, this might be a timely moment to rewatch the 2005 film and see some of the powers that he has. That has been the case, as Fantastic Four finds itself in the top 10 movies on Disney Plus right now, which is an impressive feat for a movie that was released two decades ago.

Fantastic Four emerged before the rise of the superhero genre, thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but this film does have a small connection to the MCU. That comes through Evans’ version of Johnny Storm, as he appeared in Deadpool & Wolverine, with the Multiverse tapping into that. Fans would likely appreciate seeing the man who went on to play Captain America in this movie, and it did manage to gross $330.6 million at the global box office in 2005. However, with a 28% Rotten Tomatoes rating and a 5.7/10 IMDb score, this isn’t seen as one of the strongest superhero movies of all time, although nostalgia has allowed it to regain popularity.

The Fantastic Four Franchise Is Dominating Disney Plus

Marvel Fans Are Enjoying All Of The Available Content

Vanessa Kirby as Susan Storm AKA The Invisible Woman in The Fantastic Four First Steps

It isn’t just the 2005 version of Fantastic Four that is in the top 10 movies on Disney Plus either, proving that the buzz surrounding the franchise is real. The Fantastic Four: First Steps – A Special Look is the second most-watched movie on Disney Plus, currently behind the Rami Malek-led movie, The Amateur. Meanwhile, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer also finds itself in the top 10, proving that fans have been soaking in as much content from this universe as possible ahead of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, with the franchise dominating Disney Plus. It proves that older movies still have a lot of life left in them due to the streaming world, and that’s being proven right now, even with two former Fantastic Four movies that were met with fairly poor reviews upon their initial release in the 2000s.

The Hype Is Due To The Release Of The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Marvel’s Latest Release Is Dealing With Box Office Issues

Of course, the hype surrounding The Fantastic Four: First Steps has led to a rise in attention for the older content based on the Fantastic Four franchise, as these characters are being discussed a lot right now. Fans want to learn more about them, and revisiting old content is a significant part of that, even if the movies themselves may not be as compelling as the most recent release. However, the firm grip that the Fantastic Four franchise has on Disney Plus shows that the marketing for the latest movie has created genuine excitement.

Unfortunately, even though the Fantastic Four franchise is dominating everything on Disney Plus, that hasn’t fully translated into success for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. While the new movie has been met with positive reviews and performed well on its opening weekend, the film then plummeted 66% from $117.6 million to $40 million, which has led to question marks over its long-term success. It will likely be viewed as one of the weaker films in the MCU in terms of financial gain, despite the movie itself being a strong one. However, the fact that so many people have been viewing different content based on the Fantastic Four characters is a positive sign for their long-term futures, as it’s clear that they’re beloved, and audiences are interested in them. Therefore, as they continue to be used in the MCU, their presence is only going to grow, with their appearance on Disney Plus set to increase.