After a decent first weekend, Disney’s Fantastic Four: First Steps is seeing disappointing results at the box office, failing to keep up with expectations and falling behind its direct competitor, Superman. While Fantastic Four opened with what appeared to be a strong $117 million, the numbers quickly lost their shine. Projections were already trending downward over the film’s first weekend, Friday saw a 66 percent drop from the previous weekend, worse than Thunderbolts*, with Sunday’s box office figures came in even lower than was anticipated. This steep 19 percent drop from Saturday to Sunday highlighted that most moviegoers turned out on opening day, rather than generating broad, sustained interest.
Superman, which launched just two weeks earlier, started with a Friday total of $56.1 million, including $22.5 million in previews. The film gained momentum throughout the weekend and consistently outperformed Fantastic Four, particularly among families and younger viewers. Superman’s appeal to children means greater potential for merchandise and Halloween costume sales, while Fantastic Four mostly attracted adult fans rather than generating a multi-generational event at theaters.
By the end of their first five days, Superman had earned $155 million domestically, pulling ahead of Fantastic Four’s $142 million. Early enthusiasm for Fantastic Four evaporated as daily earnings fell off sharply—Monday brought just $10.4 million, a 61 percent drop from Sunday. As days passed, the box office gap only widened further. The trend raised alarm bells: Fantastic Four was easily outpaced and seemed unable to recover its opening momentum.
The problems for Fantastic Four do not stop with declining day-by-day revenue. Studio hopes that star Pedro Pascal would attract audiences and boost the film’s profile did not pay off. There may be something to the “Pedro Pascal Fatigue” memes. Despite a large marketing budget spent by Disney to position Pascal as a major draw, many moviegoers did not connect with the campaign. This outcome calls into question the effectiveness of the Disney marketing machine and the continued push to make certain actors marquee stars. Pascal’s reported $10 million paycheck stands in stark contrast to the $800,000 earned by David Corenswet for Superman, which ended up with much better earnings and broader audience reception.
Audience fatigue with Marvel films appears to be growing, with viewers less eager to keep up with every release. The heavy focus on marketing and big-name actors has not been enough to recapture the box office dominance Marvel once enjoyed. Even though Fantastic Four and Thunderbolts received favorable reviews, both films are struggling to break even against their high production costs. Fantastic Four’s global box office is hovering around $370 million, falling short of the estimated $450 million needed just to cover expenses.
Meanwhile, Superman is likely to finish with $375 million to $400 million domestically, and worldwide earnings that could surpass $600 million, proving that superhero films can still draw large audiences when the fundamentals are right. These developments underline that Disney and Marvel cannot rely solely on branding or star power to deliver hits. The marketplace has shifted, with viewers now demanding more compelling stories and less promotional hype.
Pedro Pascal’s next big role is the lead in Disney’s upcoming Star Wars film, The Mandalorian and Grogu, which adds another layer of concern for Lucasfilm and Disney. Given Pascal’s apparent lack of significant box office draw despite heavy marketing for Fantastic Four, relying on him to carry this major franchise film does not inspire confidence. If Pascal’s star power failed to boost Marvel’s newest release, it raises serious doubts about his ability to revitalize Star Wars at the box office. This scenario suggests that Disney’s struggles may extend beyond Marvel, highlighting deeper issues around casting, marketing, and audience connection that could continue to challenge the company’s flagship franchises going forward.
For Disney, the box office performance of Fantastic Four is a clear warning sign. The film’s lack of family appeal, weaker merchandise potential, and early collapse in earnings all point to deeper structural problems for Marvel Studios. The situation is compounded by the shaky outlook for their next big projects, including upcoming Star Wars entries starring the same actors. As Marvel confronts fierce competition and uncertain audience interest, there is increasing pressure to refocus on quality content and smarter budget management. Disney faces a crucial period as it attempts to restore its franchises to their former strength. Audiences, meanwhile, appear to have moved on—at least for now.
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English (US) · 