Marvel's Fantastic Four: First Steps Powers Up Box Office Despite Bollywood Competition

Marvel Studios' latest superhero offering, "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," has delivered a surprisingly robust box office performance in its opening weekend, overcoming initial concerns about audience awareness and stiff competition from Bollywood blockbuster "Saiyaara."

The film, starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Marvel's First Family, earned an impressive $24.4 million from Thursday night previews across North America, marking the biggest preview opening of 2025. This strong start surpassed DC's "Superman," which debuted with $22.5 million in previews earlier this year.

In India, the film opened to Rs 5.10 crore on its first day, a respectable figure considering the ongoing "Saiyaara" wave that has dominated local theaters. The Marvel release managed to secure 55.5% occupancy for English-language shows, with evening and night screenings seeing the highest turnout in metro cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai.

Industry analysts had initially expressed concerns about limited awareness and promotional buzz surrounding the film among Indian audiences. However, the movie's performance exceeded expectations, with nearly 50,000 tickets sold through major cinema chains PVR, Inox, and Cinepolis by Thursday night.

The film's positive word-of-mouth from Western critics appears to have significantly contributed to its box office success. Set in a retro-futuristic 1960s universe, the movie follows Reed Richards (Pascal) and his team as they battle the cosmic threat Galactus, with Julia Garner playing the powerful Silver Surfer.

Early projections suggest "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" could achieve a $100-110 million domestic opening weekend, with industry insiders speculating the numbers could climb even higher given the strong advance bookings and positive audience reception.

This performance comes as welcome news for Marvel Studios, which has been working to rebuild audience confidence after several underperforming releases. The film represents the third reboot of the Fantastic Four franchise and marks the official entry of Marvel's First Family into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The movie's success is particularly significant as it demonstrates that superhero films can still draw audiences when backed by strong storytelling and effective marketing campaigns. Despite operating in a separate universe (Earth-828) from the main MCU timeline, the film has managed to generate substantial interest.

With strong preview numbers and positive critical reception, "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" appears well-positioned for a successful weekend run. Industry experts predict the film could emerge as the fourth major Hollywood success of the season, following hits like "F1: The Movie," "Jurassic World: Rebirth," and "Superman."

The film's global performance will be closely watched as an indicator of Marvel's ability to revitalize its brand and attract both domestic and international audiences to theatres. Early international estimates suggest the film could earn $90-100 million outside North America, potentially reaching $200 million worldwide in its opening weekend.