Superhero Movies Dominate Box Office, Leaving Superman in the Dust

The latest superhero release has outperformed competitors and drawn massive crowds, with Marvel Studios’ “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” leading the box office on its opening day. The film earned an impressive $57 million in ticket sales during its first Friday, marking a strong start for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s next chapter.

This new installment centers on the legendary team — Mr. Fantastic, Sue Storm, the Human Torch, and the Thing — as they confront one of Marvel’s most formidable villains, Galactus, to protect Earth from destruction.

The Fantastic Four in their blue suits walking down a city street next to their car. — Marvel’s latest film topped the box office on Friday. ©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection

Despite stiff competition from DC’s “Superman,” which earned about $7.1 million on its second Friday and has brought in a total of $271 million over two weeks, “The Fantastic Four” outpaced the superhero reboot by approximately $50 million.

Critics noted that “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” shows a slight improvement over previous trilogies, offering a more engaging entry into the franchise. Meanwhile, Superman continues to perform strongly in theaters, with its recent earnings reinforcing its popularity.

Other notable releases include “Jurassic World Rebirth,” which rounded out the top three with $3.6 million in ticket sales during its fourth week. Brad Pitt’s “F1: The Movie” moved up to the fourth spot, earning $1.8 million.

Still from Jurassic World: Rebirth showing Scarlett Johansson. — ‘Jurassic Park Rebirth’ stars Scarlett Johansson. ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection

Exciting new movies continue to draw audiences, with animated favorite “Smurfs” collecting $1.7 million, despite being deemed one of the year’s worst films by critics. The film features voices from Rihanna, James Corden, Jimmy Kimmel, Octavia Spencer, Kurt Russell, and John Goodman.