Summary
- Marvel has high hopes for Fantastic Four but recent films have struggled at the box office.
- Thunderbolts flopped despite major promotion, signaling audiences may not be ready for new teams.
- Fantastic Four faces tough competition from Superman and Jurassic World, potentially impacting its success.
Marvel's Fantastic Four: The First Steps is just around the corner, with the movie set to release on July 25, 2025, and the studio is banking on it being a big hit. The multiverse phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a tough one to navigate through at times, and with two huge Avengers movies coming up shortly, Marvel Studios needs this film to get people talking again.
There's no denying that Marvel is pumping a lot of effort into things, with some impressive trailers and Fantastic Four branding being put on as many products as possible. However, there's a genuine worry that Fantastic Four: The First Steps still might fall short of expectations, which could be problematic for the franchise.
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Marvel Studios Is Putting Too Much Faith In Fantastic Four: The First Steps
Marvel's Recent Run Of Movies Has Been A Struggle At The Box Office
Fans have wanted to see the Fantastic Four in the MCU for a long time, and that has led to Marvel Studios building this up as a key film in its franchise. From putting together an impressive cast to the marketing that has been taking place, it is clear that they believe it will be a significant hit. However, the reality points to the complete opposite of that. Marvel's recent run of movies have typically struggled to draw in an audience, and there just doesn't seem to be much that will draw people to watch this one. Marvel has already given away that Franklin will be born without problems, and the fact that they're announced to be part of Avengers: Doomsday means the stakes for this movie are at an all-time low. While some plot points might push the characters forward in that movie, everyone knows that they will survive, and that stops audiences from feeling the desperate urge to go and spend money on the film.
Marvel put tons of effort into pushing Thunderbolts*, to the point that they even revealed they are becoming The New Avengers just days after its release. However, that didn't stop the movie from grossing just $378 million at the box office, which was a poor return. The fact that Thunderbolts* struggled is a sign that fans aren't ready to bank on brand-new teams just yet, and that could be a sign of things to come for Fantastic Four: The First Steps. On top of that, live-action versions of the Fantastic Four have typically been underwhelming in the past, with these characters not being the easiest to take from the page to the big screen. That could lead to some fans not being interested in giving the film a try until they hear reviews, and if they don't end up being positive, it will be problematic.
Fantastic Four: The First Steps Has A Lot Of Competition Upon Its Release
Superman And Jurassic World: Rebirth Are Two Other Huge Blockbuster Movies
Another big reason why Fantastic Four: First Steps is likely to fall short of expectations at the box office is the fact that there is some serious competition this summer. Superman and Jurassic World: Rebirth will be released a couple of weeks prior, and they will pull people away. They're two huge blockbuster films in their own right, and that will lead to them commanding a lot of attention. That's something that will only continue to grow if they end up being great movies that are met with positive word of mouth. If people claim they're great, it will lead to weeks of prolonged success, naturally impacting the latest MCU movie. On top of that, given the price of watching a movie and the challenging economy, some people cannot afford tickets to view all three at the cinema. Given Fantastic Four: The First Steps is the last to be released, it could end up struggling.
Marvel Studios Needs Fantastic Four: The First Steps To Be A Megahit
There's A Good Chance This Is Going To Fall Short Of Expectations
Marvel Studios has been struggling throughout the most recent phase to maintain the level of interest that had existed heading into Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Now, the franchise is pushing toward two more Avengers movies, and it feels like the studios are miles away from where they were previously in terms of general interest, cohesion, and overall quality. The build-up to Avengers: Doomsday has been lackluster, mainly due to the confusing multiverse aspect of this phase, and that's something Marvel is expected to be leaning into for Fantastic Four: The First Steps, which isn't going to help the overall interest. The trailers have been good, but they haven't provided much to make this feel like the stakes are at an all-time high, and outside of this being in a unique period, there isn't a lot to draw people in. The Fantastic Four are popular characters in the superhero world, but they don't have the mass appeal that the likes of Spider-Man do, where casual audiences will make a point of viewing it. That's why this is a risky situation, as Marvel Studios desperately needs a win, but the reality is that Fantastic Four: The First Steps is on course for a harsh landing.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- July 25, 2025
- Runtime
- 115 minutes
Cast
-
Pedro PascalReed Richards / Mister Fantastic -
Vanessa KirbySue Storm / Invisible Woman
WHERE TO WATCH
