The Fantastic Four: First Steps earned about $521.9 million worldwide against a reported $200 million production budget. That result can reasonably be called disappointing for a major Marvel release, but it does not establish that the film lost money—or that it has hurt Avengers: Doomsday. The first movie introduces the team to the MCU; evidence that its box office changed the next film’s plans has not been reported.
How did First Steps perform at the box office?
Disney reported that The Fantastic Four: First Steps opened with $218 million worldwide in 2025: $118 million domestic and $100 million internationally. It opened at No. 1, and the domestic opening was the fourth-largest of 2025 at the time, according to the Associated Press. Disney said 46% of domestic opening-weekend sales came from premium large-format, IMAX, 3D, or other specialty formats. Disney’s opening-weekend report and AP’s opening coverage describe the launch.
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| 1 |
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps - Blu-ray + Digital | $22.96 | Buy on Amazon |
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps - 4K + Blu-ray + Digital | $27.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The Numbers lists the film’s final reported totals as $274,286,610 domestic and $247,572,118 international, for $521,858,728 worldwide, against a reported $200 million production budget. These are database figures accessed in 2026 and may be revised. The Numbers’ film summary provides the totals and budget.
Does $521.9 million mean the movie lost money?
No conclusion about profit or loss follows from comparing worldwide box-office gross with the production budget alone. Ticket sales are not the same as the amount returned to the studio, and the $200 million figure is a reported production budget—not a total release cost or break-even estimate. The available figures do not establish marketing expense, distribution terms, or the film’s complete revenue picture. Calling the result disappointing is a judgment about performance relative to the scale and expectations of a tentpole, not proof of a loss.
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- Set against the backdrop of a ?60s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel?s First Family faces a daunting challenge. Forced to balance being heroes with their family bond, they must defend Earth from a space god and his enigmatic herald.
Why is the result being called disappointing?
The opening was substantial, and Disney reported encouraging audience indicators during launch: an A- CinemaScore, 86% total positive PostTrak responses, and a 4.5-out-of-5 PostTrak rating. Disney also reported an 88% Rotten Tomatoes critics score and a 93% verified audience score at that time. These are dated launch-period measures, not final or directly comparable measures of long-term demand. AP reported that the opening was within the studio’s expectations, although slightly below some rival studio projections.
Later comments from Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige add context to the “disappointing” label. In 2026, GamesRadar reported his remarks from a Variety interview: “Many things can be true at once,” followed by his observation that the film looked and sounded unlike earlier superhero movies and “only [grossed] $521 million.” The phrasing treats the gross as underwhelming despite the film’s distinctive approach. GamesRadar’s report on Feige’s comments supplies that later perspective.
There is also a useful franchise comparison, though it needs limits. The Numbers lists worldwide grosses of $333.1 million for the 2005 Fantastic Four, $289.5 million for 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and $167.8 million for 2015’s Fantastic Four, compared with $521.9 million for First Steps. These are nominal grosses from releases in different years, not inflation-adjusted comparisons. The Numbers’ Fantastic Four franchise table lists the figures.
Rank #2
- Set against the backdrop of a ?60s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel?s First Family faces a daunting challenge. Forced to balance being heroes with their family bond, they must defend Earth from a space god and his enigmatic herald.
Could First Steps’ box office be a problem for Avengers: Doomsday?
It is a reasonable question, but the box-office result alone does not show that First Steps has damaged Avengers: Doomsday. The Fantastic Four’s introduction connects the films in the MCU, and Marvel has publicly discussed the team in relation to Doomsday. That establishes franchise continuity—not a business cause and effect. The available reporting does not show that First Steps’ performance changed Doomsday’s budget, story, release plan, or prospects. Marvel’s official Fantastic Four and Avengers: Doomsday article supports the announcement-level connection.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsA disappointing result could reasonably prompt questions about audience appetite, expectations for future Marvel releases, or how the studio evaluates its films. Those are questions, not documented consequences for Doomsday. One film’s gross cannot, by itself, establish the next film’s likely performance or production decisions.
Quick Recap
What the numbers do—and do not—show
- They show a strong opening: Disney reported $218 million worldwide, with a No. 1 debut.
- They show a substantial worldwide gross: The Numbers lists about $521.9 million against a reported $200 million production budget.
- They support an expectations-based disappointment argument: Feige later referred to the $521 million result as part of a discussion of a film that stood apart creatively.
- They do not establish a profit or loss: Gross and production budget alone do not account for the full costs or revenue shares.
- They do not establish a Doomsday impact: No cited reporting ties this result to a change in that film’s plans or commercial outlook.
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