SUNDAY UPDATE, Refresh for latest…: Marvel/Disney’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps has come in with an estimated $218M global opening. While this is lower than where we saw it yesterday, it remains above the pre-weekend projection, both worldwide and in terms of international box office. The latter landed at $100M, the top end of our pre-opening projection.
The overseas debut is 13% ahead of Thunderbolts*, 11% ahead of Superman and 4% above Captain America: Brave New World in like-for-like markets at current rates. The Fantastic Four folks also scored the biggest superhero opening of 2025 in Mexico, the UK, France, Italy, Spain and the European and Latin American regions, as well as several smaller markets.
The offshore take of $100M is about 46% of the global total. Normally, in this genre, we see overseas numbers much higher than domestic, but that’s not been the case recently (see Superman‘s bow at 43% from overseas). Is it a sign of the times, or the properties, or other vagaries? Likely a mix of those, but Hollywood is also facing challenges in Asia.
We’ve known for a long while now that China is not the slam-dunk it once was, and that’s factored into consideration. What’s more worrying is that studio films are not always clicking amid local productions in other Asian markets. This weekend is perhaps an anomaly because there is a huge movie (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle) in Japan and also a new local title in Korea (Omniscient Reader). All boats rise, but there’s a rethink needed for audiences in the region.
This is food for thought that we’ll revisit, but speaking of a movie that’s doing better domestically than overseas, Warner Bros’ Superman has topped the half-billion milestone, now at $502.7M worldwide, including $213.2M from international.
On the flipside, Universal/Amblin’s Jurassic World Rebirth has topped $700M global ($718.4M), with a heftier overseas haul ($416.8M), while Apple Original Films’s F1, via Warner Bros, has sped to $509.7M worldwide amid great holds, and with $344.1M coming from the international box office.
Also of note, Sony and Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later has topped $150M worldwide, with $80M from international and $70M from domestic.
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PREVIOUS, SATURDAY UPDATE: Marvel/Disney’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps is on its way towards a global opening of $220M-$230M, which would place it ahead of the pre-weekend projection. Through Friday, the Matt Shakman-directed F4:FS has grossed an estimated $106.2M worldwide.
Domestic is at $57M through Friday and is eyeing a full weekend bow of $120M-$125M. The international box office through Friday is $49.2M with the whole opening frame looking at $100M-$105M.
Friday openers overseas included Spain, China and Japan. As previously noted, China is just not playing ball – nor was it expected to. Japan and Korea have local movies on the high end.
Latin America and Europe are leaning into the family.
The Top 5 markets for The Fantastic Four: First Steps through Friday are as follows: Mexico ($6.2M), UK ($5.7M), France ($3.5M), Brazil ($2.6M) and Italy ($2.4M).
We’ll have a full update on Sunday.
PREVIOUS, FRIDAY: Marvel/Disney’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps kicked off overseas rollout on Wednesday, and through Thursday is in 44 material offshore markets. The international box office cume through Thursday is an estimated $27M. That includes No. 1 opening days across Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific.
At this early stage in the proceedings, First Steps is estimated to be running 57% ahead of Captain America: Brave New World, 32% over Superman and 9% above Thunderbolts* in like-for-like markets and at current exchange rates.
As we noted in our global preview, the international box office launch projection for the Matt Shakman-directed Fantastic Four is $90M-$100M, with room for upside.
The movie — starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Julia Garner — has also helped propel The Walt Disney Studios past the $3B mark globally. When The Fantastic Four’s domestic previews are factored in today, Dis will cross the milestone; the first studio to get there in 2025.
The Top 5 overseas markets on First Steps through Thursday are Mexico ($4.1M), UK ($2.8M), France ($2.7M), Italy ($1.7M) and Brazil ($1.7M).
On Wednesday, France logged the 3rd highest opening day of 2025, up 84% on Thunderbolts*, 80% ahead of Superman (+13% including previews), 57% over Captain America: Brave New World and 16% over Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Italy also had the 3rd best opening day of 2025, ahead of Superman (+111%), Captain America: Brave New World (+81%), Thunderbolts* (+63%) and Quantumania (+47%).
Netherlands gave the family the 2nd highest opening day of 2025, well above Superman (+122%), Captain America: Brave New World (+67%), and Thunderbolts* (+37%), as well as 5% ahead of Quantumania.
Asia-Pacific saw strong market shares in Wednesday launches (89% Indonesia, 76% Philippines, 53% Hong Kong) and positive social reactions.
On Thursday, majors joining the family included Mexico, UK, Brazil, Australia, Germany and Korea.
As noted above, the Latin America bows were all No. 1s while the regional debut saw the 3rd highest opening day of the year.
Mexico, which leads all overseas play after just one day, came in 97% ahead of Brave New World, 51% ahead of Superman and 3% ahead of Thunderbolts*. First Steps took 68% market share on Thursday.
Also on Thursday, the UK greeted F4:FS with the 2nd biggest opening day of summer 2025. While the movie came in below Superman (-23%), that film opened on a Friday. Germany’s opening Thursday was 136% ahead of Superman.
In Australia on Thursday F4:FS had 60% market share and scored the biggest Marvel opening day of the year, landing 57% ahead of Thunderbolts* and 45% ahead of Captain America: Brave New World. Versus Superman, it was -2%/-46% (including/excluding previews), the latter having launched during school holidays.
In Korea, where F4:FS opened on Thursday to sidestep a new local title, the debut was, as expected, somewhat muted, but still a No. 1 start on the day. The cume there through Friday (Friday is not reflected in the international total above) is $1.04M.
Markets that open today include China, Japan and Spain. China, as previously noted, is soft on superheroes (and soft overall) and Japan has some mega local titles in the mix – but we should see some good numbers out of Spain.
We’ll have more throughout the weekend.