'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAIBAAAgEDBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDAAURBAYxQRIUUf/EABQBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL/xAAZEQACAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgADBFH/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AM8uO4or1dYA+iSL2HBkfyLs68YOTxgjA6wKoptqaaGaSJJ5giMVAL5wAfvdKUddahyIcljGtT0T/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
2025 is shaping up to be a record-breaking year for superhero cinema, with Superman and Fantastic Four: First Steps going head-to-head in one of the biggest box office showdowns in recent memory. DC’s rebooted Man of Steel and Marvel’s cosmic comeback for the iconic quartet have ignited fan debates across the internet, with predictions, theories, and loyalty wars taking over social media.
Early numbers hint at a neck-and-neck race, with Fantastic Four slightly edging out Superman in previews, but both films are pulling massive global audiences. Here’s what fans are speculating as these two cinematic titans battle it out for dominance.
What fans are saying about Fantastic Four: First Steps and Superman's box office battle
On Reddit, conversations have been active, discussing both the movies' box office performance. While some are team Marvel, citing the studio's brand image and the successful projections and starpower, many are pointing out that DC's Superman is way more famous than the Marvel heroes, and will attract more audience.
User PeterVenkmanIII wrote about both the movies and the expectations they carry as they wrote,
"It definitely could. The Marvel brand is bruised, but it isn't nearly as damaged as DC. People, I think, are willing to give Marvel more of the benefit of the doubt than they are DC. That said, if Fantastic Four: First Steps is "good," that may not be enough to beat Superman. Along with that benefit of the doubt comes higher audience expectations. The shadow of Infinity War/Endgame is long, and Marvel has struggled to get out from under it."
Another user, WySlatestWit , wrote,
It's a real bummer watching Fantastic Four's performance. It's going to be almost identical, but slightly less it seems, to Superman. And I'm not sure it's going to have Superman's legs. It's a decent movie, and I would like it to do well. The problem is it's just "fine" and it really needed to be outstanding.
More comments supporting Superman followed,
Why it is surprising Superman would make more than F4? F4 has never been a A list team for Marvel. They are a B list team. I knew even with DC’s tarnished brand, Superman had enough juice to beat out a F4 because of Superman’s popularity. What’s more impressive is Superman had to deal with more competition from JWR and heatwaves in Europe and still managed to gross more OW overall. As much trash as DC gets, I’m glad it got this win and things are looking brighter for DC.
Another user kumar100kPawan wrote,
All that ruckus over presales for it to end up opening less than Superman. Just to be clear, this is still good, but there are 2 takeaways - F4 was very frontloaded, even for a July MCU movie. (But again, I hope people remember that these movies are usually more frontloaded as a general trend. So next time don't go crazy with the 150M+ predictions if you see a 25M Thurs in July for Marvel). Superman was more backloaded, even compared to Deadpool 3 (which had a great multiplier for a July CBM). Its IMs were 5.55x and 6.23x if you include and exclude the prime screenings gross respectively
Box office performances of both films as of now
As of July 25, 2025, Fantastic Four: First Steps is off to a fiery start. The film blazed through its opening weekend with $118 million from 4,125 North American theaters, slightly above its projected $100–110 million. It also smashed preview records for the year, raking in $24.4 million on Thursday night alone, overtaking Superman’s earlier high.
With $57 million on opening day, it now holds the second-biggest single-day tally of 2025, right behind A Minecraft Movie. International numbers are looking strong too, adding another $90–110 million, bringing its global debut to somewhere between $190–210 million.
Conversely, Superman isn’t backing down. The DC reboot has already flown past $490 million worldwide, with $289.5 million from the U.S. and Canada and $200.7 million overseas. Its opening weekend brought in a muscular $125 million domestically and $220 million globally. The film saw $22.5 million from previews and a $56.5 million opening day.
Trending
In weekend two, it held strong with $57 million, only a 54% drop, which, in superhero terms, is a small miracle. While international numbers lag a bit, especially in China, Superman is still very much in the fight, cape high, chest out, and eyes on the billion-dollar mark.
Fantastic Four: First Steps and Superman are available in theaters.
Love movies? Try our Box Office Game and Movie Grid Game to test your film knowledge and have some fun!
Reply
