The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been fighting an uphill battle in recent years, struggling to recapture the box office dominance it once enjoyed. However, now, it seems the studio has scored a small, yet meaningful, victory.
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’, the MCU’s long-awaited introduction of Marvel’s First Family, has officially outgrossed 2017’s Justice League at the domestic box office.
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Is A Win For MCU
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ earnings are on the decline after a sharp 60% drop in its latest weekend. However, its early performance has been strong enough to push it past one of DC’s most infamous misfires. According to The Numbers, the film has pulled in $230 million domestically. This edges out Justice League, which ended its run at $229 million. While Marvel didn’t set out to “beat” Justice League, the comparison is hard to ignore.
Related: Why The Original Fantastic Four Returning In ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Is A Huge Possibility
The DCEU’s failed team-up movie was supposed to be Warner Bros.’ answer to ‘The Avengers’. Led by Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm, and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ entered the MCU with high expectations. Fans and critics alike were curious to see if the movie could finally deliver the iconic team the franchise has long promised.
Critically, the movie has been warmly received with an 86% Tomatometer score and an even higher 91% audience rating. That’s a big deal considering Marvel’s recent missteps, as those films failed to connect either critically or financially. Financially, though, ‘First Steps’ is a mixed bag. The $117.6 million opening weekend was strong, but the steep drop-offs since have raised questions about its long-term legs. However, in the context of Marvel’s recent slump, beating Justice League is still a morale boost.
James Gunn Sets The Record Straight On Superman’s Box Office Win
While Marvel celebrates its small victory, over in the DC camp, James Gunn is busy defending the box office performance of his own major superhero reboot. 2025’s ‘Superman‘, starring David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, marks the official launch of Gunn’s DCU “Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters” slate. Since its release, the film has earned $569.5 million worldwide. This makes it the highest-grossing superhero movie of the year so far.
In case you missed it: ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Suffers From Being Too Disconnected
However, online rumors claimed the film “needed” to hit $650 million to break even. A fan put the question directly to Gunn on Threads, asking if the $650 million figure was accurate. “Absolutely false. Anyone saying that doesn’t have an understanding of the film business, and we would be idiots to make a first-in-a-franchise film that would need to make that much to be profitable,” Gunn stated.
Unlike the later-stage MCU, which had massive box office pressure after ‘Avengers: Endgame’, Gunn’s DCU is starting from scratch. ‘Superman’ wasn’t meant to smash records on its first try. So, in that way, the film is doing what ‘Iron Man’ did for the MCU in 2008. It’s establishing tone, characters, and a world that can grow over time. It also doesn’t hurt that ‘Superman’ has already surpassed the domestic takes of Marvel’s ‘Thunderbolts’, ‘Brave New World’, and ‘The Marvels’.
