The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Six, has proven its worth with a significant box office drop during its second weekend of release. Despite a disappointing start in North American theaters with a $118 million opening, the film has managed to rake in nearly $370 million globally.
Initially, the film performed well domestically, taking in an additional $40 million this weekend, which marks a 66% decline compared to its first weekend. This brings its domestic total to $198,427,635, while internationally it has grossed $170.3 million. When combined with these numbers, the global total for First Steps reaches $368.7 million.
Analysts had predicted a drop of 55% to 60% in box office sales for its second weekend due to positive word-of-mouth and the lack of competing movies in theaters at the time. However, compared to Superman’s decline, which suffered a 53% drop in its second weekend, First Steps has managed to stay ahead.
The release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps marks an important milestone for Marvel Studios as it launches Phase Six of the MCU and comes after two box office disappointments with Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts. With this film, First Steps is poised to surpass both films’ final box office totals, securing its place as the highest-grossing Fantastic Four movie ever.
Marvel Studios will now be focused on determining whether First Steps can achieve sufficient box office earnings during its theatrical run to not only prove profitable but also reignite the MCU ahead of Avengers: Doomsday in 2026.
Source: https://www.ign.com/articles/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-stretches-towards-370m-worldwide-after-bigger-than-expected-second-weekend-box-office-drop