Fantastic Four: First Steps scores Marvel's first US$100 million North American box office opening of 2025
That makes it the fourth biggest opening of the year, behind A Minecraft Movie, Lilo & Stitch and Superman, and the biggest Marvel opening since Deadpool & Wolverine grossed US$211 million out of the gate last summer. Internationally, Fantastic Four made US$100 million from 52 territories, adding up to a US$218 million worldwide debut. The numbers were within the range the studio was expecting.
The film arrived in the wake of another big superhero reboot, James Gunn's Superman, which opened three weekends ago and has already crossed US$500 million globally. That film, from the other main player in comic book films, DC Studios, took second place with US$24.9 million in North America.
First Steps is the latest attempt at bringing the superhuman family to the big screen, following lackluster performances for other versions. The film, based on the original Marvel comics, is set during the 1960s in a retro-futuristic world led by the Fantastic Four, a family of astronauts-turned-superhuman from exposure to cosmic rays during a space mission.
The family is made up of Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), who can stretch his body to incredible lengths; Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), who can render herself invisible; Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), who transforms into a fiery human torch; and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), who possesses tremendous superhuman strength with his stone-like flesh.
The movie takes place four years after the family gained powers, during which Reed's inventions have transformed technology, and Sue's diplomacy has led to global peace.
Both audiences and critics responded positively to the film, which currently has an 88 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes and promising exit poll responses from opening weekend ticket buyers. An estimated 46 per cent of audiences chose to see it on premium screens, including IMAX and other large formats.
The once towering Marvel is working to rebuild audience enthusiasm for its films and characters. Its two previous offerings this year did not reach the cosmic box office heights of Deadpool & Wolverine, which made over US$1.3 billion, or those of the Avengers-era. But critically, the films have been on an upswing since the poorly reviewed Captain America: Brave New World, which ultimately grossed US$415 million worldwide. Thunderbolts, which jumpstarted the summer movie season, was better received critically but financially is capping out at just over US$382 million globally.
Like Deadpool and Wolverine, the Fantastic Four characters had been under the banner of 20th Century Fox for years. The studio produced two critically loathed, but decently profitable attempts in the mid-2000s with future Captain America Chris Evans as the Human Torch. In 2015, it tried again (unsuccessfully) with Michael B Jordan and Miles Teller. They got another chance after Disney's US$71 billion acquisition of Fox's entertainment assets in 2019.
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Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
With $279m global opening, The Fantastic Four: First Steps breaks a box-office curse
(From left) Cast members Joseph Quinn, Pedro Pascal, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Vanessa Kirby at the premiere of The Fantastic Four: First Steps in Sydney, Australia, on July 15. LOS ANGELES – Marvel Studios over the weekend took a step towards regaining its reputation as Hollywood's most reliable hitmaker. The Fantastic Four: First Steps was expected to collect about US$118 million (S$151 million) at theatres in North America from Thursday through Sunday, according to Comscore, which compiles ticketing information. Based on advance ticket sales and surveys that track moviegoer interest, Hollywood had expected First Steps to arrive to about US$115 million in domestic ticket sales. The movie, which cost at least US$300 million to make and market worldwide, was on pace to generate an additional US$100 million overseas, for a global opening total of roughly US$218 million. Reviews were generally strong. It was Marvel's first original breakout hit in six years. The film is not a sequel – t he characters were adapted from Fantastic Four comics, first published in 1961. Marvel had previously tried to strike gold with movies such as Eternals, which fizzled in 2021, and Thunderbolts*, which was released in May and has taken in US$382 million, the lowest total in Marvel's 17-year, 37-film history when adjusted for inflation. Marvel's sequels have also been hit and miss, contributing to fears of 'superhero fatigue' in Hollywood. In some ways, its runaway success in the 2010s made it arrogant. The studio's storytelling became tortuously complicated, weaving together plots from numerous TV shows and movies, and prompting some casual moviegoers to decide that Marvel cared only about comic nerds. Disney, which owns Marvel, pushed hard on a First Steps marketing message in the weeks leading up to the film's release: You do not need a doctorate in Marvelology to understand this one. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole backfilled; road to be repaved after LTA tests Singapore MRT platform screen doors at 15 underground stations to undergo renewal Singapore 'Medium risk' of severe haze as higher agricultural prices drive deforestation: S'pore researchers Singapore Authorities say access to Changi intertidal areas unaffected by reclamation, in response to petition Singapore Police statements by doctor in fake vaccine case involving Iris Koh allowed in court: Judge Singapore Jail for former pre-school teacher who tripped toddler repeatedly, causing child to bleed from nose Singapore No change to SIA flights between S'pore and Cambodia, S'pore and Thailand, amid border dispute Singapore Not feasible for S'pore to avoid net‑zero; all options to cut energy emissions on table: Tan See Leng 'It is a no-homework-required movie,' Mr Kevin Feige, Marvel's president and chief creative officer, said at a publicity event. 'It literally is not connected to anything we've made before.' The Fantastic Four – composed of Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Mister Fantastic and the Thing – have proved difficult to adapt for the movies, making the response to First Steps more notable. A low-budget version in 1994 was so slapdash that its release was cancelled. A 2005 effort was loathed by critics and fans, but it performed well enough in theatres to get a slightly less reviled sequel, Rise Of The Silver Surfer (2007). The property was rebooted in 2015, but that version also fizzled at the box office and is derisively remembered as the Fantastic Four movie in which the Thing wore no pants. First Steps, directed by Matt Shakman (WandaVision, 2021), stars Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Pedro Pascal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. Julia Garner co-stars as the enslaved Silver Surfer. Critics praised the movie for its strong ensemble, retro-futuristic setting and satisfying villain (Galactus), among other aspects. 'The movie is a step up in concept, storytelling and appeal,' said Mr David A. Gross, a film consultant who publishes a newsletter on box-office numbers. 'We haven't had this kind of performance from the genre for a long time.' First Steps arrived two weeks after Superman, which was a hit for DC Studios and Warner Bros. It slipped to second place at US$24.9 million, putting its global take over the US$500 million mark. Mr Gross noted that studios are releasing only four superhero movies in 2025 – they have all come out – down from eight in 2023. 'This is the new normal,' he said, explaining the pullback as Hollywood realising that supply had exceeded demand. As of now, the next superhero movie is 11 months away: Supergirl, in June 2026. NYTIMES
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
The Labubu effect: Cute sidekicks rule multiplexes, from Lilo & Stitch to Fantastic Four
(Clockwise from left) Stitch in Lilo & Stitch, H.E.R.B.I.E. in The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Toothless in How To Train Your Dragon. NEW YORK – This summer has been invaded by a group of adorable furry monsters with sharp teeth. They are known as Labubus, and they are everywhere. The trendy key-ring dolls, from Chinese purveyor Pop Mart, have received endorsements from Barbadian pop star Rihanna and American singer Cher, and are omnipresent on social media. In a way, they have also infused the movies. Not literally, of course, though I wouldn't put it past some executive to be developing a Labubu franchise right now. No, it is more that the spirit of Labubus is everywhere on-screen. The blockbuster business has been overtaken by cuteness – sometimes ugly, chaotic cuteness in the style of the Labubu craze, but cuteness nonetheless. Nearly every major movie released since May features a cute sidekick, there to make audiences coo with delight. The season opened with Disney's live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch, featuring the charmingly manic blue alien Stitch. It became a box-office success in part because of fans' enduring love for the extraterrestrial with a penchant for causing a ruckus. You could say Stitch is the original Labubu. They do look an awful lot alike. Small, fuzzy and baring sharp teeth, Chinese toymaker Pop Mart's Labubu monster dolls have taken over the world, drawing excited crowds at international stores and adorning the handbags of celebrities. PHOTO: AFP In June, another remake was buoyed by a CGI cutie: Toothless, the title star of How To Train Your Dragon, whose oversized eyes and pointy chompers have a Labubu-esque quality. Also like Stitch, Toothless looks wild but, at times, acts as a pet, be that a cat or a dog depending on the moment in the story. Toothless in How To Train Your Dragon. PHOTO: UIP Speaking of dogs, Superman now has one in James Gunn's adaptation of the Man of Steel. Krypto, based on the American writer-director's own pup Ozu, is arguably the most traditionally cute of the bunch. After all, he looks like a regular scruffy dog, just one in a cape, but he is also a menace who bites feet and thinks any flying gadget is a toy. Krypto the superdog in Superman is inspired and modelled after director James Gunn's dog Ozu. PHOTO: WBEI The summer's other big superhero flick also has a winsome little buddy: H.E.R.B.I.E., the robot for the title crew in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. He is made of metal, but has been designed for maximum awws, with a sweetly chirping voice and spinning reels for peepers. H.E.R.B.I.E. in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. PHOTO: THE WALT DISNEY CO There is more. In Pixar's Elio, a human boy befriends a slug-like alien named Glordon, who is sweetly naive despite descending from a race of warlords intent on conquering the galaxy. And Jurassic World Rebirth introduced Dolores, an Aquilops who, unlike the T. rex, enjoys candy and human companionship. What is with this inundation? Of course, cuteness is a solid marketing tactic. One reason Stitch, who debuted in the 2002 animated version, has become such a beloved character in the Disney stable is the volume of merchandise featuring him. The same could be said for Toothless, who even has a Labubu crossover toy. For what it is worth, Pop Mart is also in the Stitch business. Stitch in Lilo & Stitch. PHOTO: THE WALT DISNEY CO Meanwhile, the Labubu fad has started to merge with movie marketing. Celebrities are now being asked to interact with the toys during their press tours. The stars of both the sports racing drama F1: The Movie and horror reboot I Know What You Did Last Summer – two films in which adorable characters would be extremely out of place – have been subjected to this. F1: The Movie cast member Javier Bardem holding up a Labubu and gleefully declaring 'I got Baba' made me smile, even if the interaction felt like a forced viral moment. Sure, all this cuteness is in many ways a crass ploy for moviegoers' dollars, but it works for a reason. There is a comfort in the twee, especially when it is a little bit askew or offbeat. These characters allow people to switch off their brains and simply exist in their charming, oddball worlds . When every piece of news that hits the phone is largely depressing, it is a relief to spend a couple of hours gallivanting with Toothless or playing hypothetical fetch with Krypto. Their brand of chaos is the fun kind, not the nightmarish type. Of course, not every summer movie creature can work this kind of magic. The Jurassic World Rebirth social media team tried to turn Dolores into a phenomenon, with early X posts like one captioned: 'Protect Dolores at all costs!' The comments included questions about who Dolores was, and the mini-dino did not get any more popular after the film's release, possibly because she did not have a very distinctive personality. But when the characters are successful, they allow even adult viewers to regress into a childlike state of wonder, which partly explains why most of these movies have taken in huge amounts of money. The notion that these things have traits that society has deemed unlovable – Glordon's buggy form, for instance – makes them all the more lovable. It also may be why Labubus have become the accessory du jour. Their faces look as if they are about to create havoc, but their bodies are snuggable. They are like your personal Stitch: There by your side to make you giggle with the spicy-sweet personality you project onto them. Isn't that the fantasy all these movies sell? It sure would be fun to have your own little impish companion around at all times. NYTIMES
CNA
a day ago
- CNA
George Lucas makes Comic-Con debut for Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
Excited fans waved glowing Star Wars lightsabers on Sunday (Jul 27) at the San Diego Comic-Con panel for George Lucas' latest project, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Along with Lucas, the panel included director Guillermo del Toro and Doug Chiang, vice president of Disney's Lucasfilm, with Queen Latifah moderating at the San Diego Convention Center. Attendees shouted "Lucas! Lucas! Lucas!" and clapped their hands in anticipation of the Star Wars creator's arrival, and gave the 81-year-old Lucas a standing ovation as he took his seat. "Opening in 2026, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is a first-of-its-kind institution dedicated to illustrated storytelling across time, cultures, and media," a press release from the museum said. The 11-acre campus, in Exposition Park in Los Angeles, will include a green space and a 300,000-square-foot building with galleries, two theatres, a library, restaurant, cafe, and retail and community spaces. Some of its collection will include art from comic book artist Jack Kirby, painter Norman Rockwell and illustrator Kadir Nelson, as well as a Lucas archive with models, props, concept art and costumes. "I love all art, no matter what it is," Lucas said after showing a video that gave a sneak peek at the museum. The video included renderings of the museum interior and exterior, as well as the museum's broad range of art ranging from more traditional fine art and comic book strips to Star Wars sculptures and installations. Lucas began the panel recalling his days as a college student struggling to pursue his dream of becoming an art collector due to the steep cost of fine art. But the filmmaker found an affordable exception with comic books, sold cheaply in "underground" markets. Now, rather than selling art he collected over around 50 years, Lucas said he prefers to create what he calls a "temple to the people's art". Lucas kept the conversation focused on the museum and did not discuss Star Wars or Indiana Jones. For del Toro, the museum offers a visual past that belongs to everyone and can't be erased, noting that he may move some of his personal art collection to the Lucas Museum.
