Fantastic Four Passes $500M, But Still a Box Office Flop

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The movie ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ has surpassed $500 million at the worldwide box office, yet Disney’s financial account shows a different picture.

Box Office Update

As of day 39 in theaters, the film has grossed:

  • Domestic (52.5%): $265,826,180
  • International (47.5%): $240,500,000
  • Worldwide: $506,326,180

In the domestic box office of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), among the 36 films released so far, Fantastic Four ranks at the 22nd position. However, its worldwide earnings place it lower at the 26th spot, grouping it with other underperforming MCU movies such as Quantumania, Shang-Chi, Captain America: Brave New World, Eternals, and Thunderbolts.

The Real Budget Problem

The estimated budget for the movie “Fantastic Four” has been reported to be $200 million, but we’ve learned that the actual figure could be significantly higher due to reshoots, potentially reaching nearly $350 million. If this higher budget is accurate, the total cost including marketing expenses would need to reach approximately $875 million in box office revenue just to break even.

Creator of Deadpool, Rob Liefeld, straightforwardly stated about X: “With a $300 million budget including marketing costs, you can go peddle your wares elsewhere.

If the present rate continues, Fantastic Four is likely to miss the target significantly, adding it to the list of failures alongside Thunderbolts and Captain America: Brave New World, becoming further setbacks for Kevin Feige.

The Captain America: Winter Soldier Comparison

I’d like to clarify something that some enthusiasts are saying: They’re claiming that the current run of Fantastic Four has surpassed Captain America: The Winter Soldier in domestic earnings. However, it’s important to note that The Winter Soldier was released over a decade ago, which makes a direct comparison between the two films’ contemporary performance less accurate.

In today’s dollars, the film’s domestic total amounts to approximately $354 million, significantly surpassing that of ‘Fantastic Four,’ indicating a higher attendance for ‘Winter Soldier’ compared to its counterpart.

Without considering inflation, the global earnings of “Winter Soldier” amounted to an impressive $714,421,503. It’s highly unlikely that “Fantastic Four” will even approach this figure, so it’s rather absurd to make any comparisons between their box office performances.

Digital Release Coming

According to earlier news, the film is anticipated to be available for digital download on September 27, while Blu-ray and 4K versions are scheduled for October 28. It’s likely that Disney expects strong home release sales to offset some financial losses. The movie is estimated to be released on Disney+ in November.

Despite this, it’s important to remember the broader context: The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) continues to struggle with Fantastic Four: First Steps, another underperforming title. Anticipation for the upcoming release of Avengers: Doomsday is waning as well.

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2025-08-31 23:54