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The Fantastic Four: First Steps has hit a rough patch on its second weekend at the box office, while The Naked Gun has gained early momentum on its first weekend.
Marvel's latest attempt at bringing the First Family to the big screen proved lucrative on its debut, earning $118 million. It was shortly behind DC's Superman, which enjoyed a $122-125 million opening weekend. Still, First Steps performed better in its first three days than its recent two theatrical releases.
According to the recent box office report from Variety, it seems like the project has quickly started losing its steam. On August 4, the publication revealed the film's 66% drop this weekend, worse than the expected 55-60% drop, as it earned $40 million in the domestic market. As it happened, the Liam Neeson starrer has earned $17 million at the box office at a time of dearth of theatrical comedies.
The latest numbers offer a positive sign for Akiva Schaffer's comedy film, but do not look as compelling for the MCU's latest project, even if it stands at the top of the charts. It might take over Marvel's tentpole.
How does The Fantastic Four: First Steps compare to the recent MCU entries?
The Fantastic Four: First Steps seemed like a breath of fresh air for the MCU, which has struggled at the theaters since the pandemic. Until then, the franchise's initial phase was a major success, drawing a significantly larger audience than its DC counterparts. However, the superhero fatigue might have plagued the future of this comic book adaptation.
It's surprising considering the film's solid debut in the North American theaters, earning more than Thunderbolts ($76 million) and Captain America: Brave New World ($88.5 million) in three days. The film also received an 87% Rotten Tomatoes score and an A-CinemaScore. Yet, despite an almost identical result, Thunderbolts* failed to reach expectations since its second weekend. First Steps might be heading in a similar direction.
Call it superhero fatigue or a lack of interest in a specific IP, the MCU projects might be struggling to draw audiences apart from their core demographic, as per Variety. So, despite its #1 position on the box office charts, it has seemingly lost its momentum. In comparison, Superman is in fourth position with a $13.9 million haul, with a reported 53% drop in its fifth weekend since release.
Will The Naked Gun take over The Fantastic Four: First Steps in theaters?
Liam Neeson's latest slapstick comedy, backed by his deadpan performance and impeccable chemistry with his co-star Pamela Anderson, earned a 90% RT score and an A-CinemaScore. It might have helped the film overtake Superman at the box office charts, earning $17 million by Sunday and being in the third position.
It's a rare comedy project since the pandemic to be on its way to success. It offers a positive sign for this film, bringing back a decades-old franchise that doesn't feature a young cast. So, it seems to be a win across the board for the creative and the marketing team behind the legacy sequel. Still, it's too early to say anything concrete about its chances against The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
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Also read: Can Liam Neeson’s The Naked Gun be the flag bearer of film comedies coming back to the big screen?
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