Despite a strong domestic launch and enthusiastic reviews, Fantastic Four: First Steps has stumbled in key international markets, with particularly underwhelming performance in China and Japan. While the film has earned praise from audiences and critics alike, its global box office presence appears to be faltering.
According to updated figures from China, the film has managed an estimated 31.7 million yuan—roughly 4.5 million dollars—during its opening weekend, a performance described by analysts as weak even by conservative projections. This opening falls approximately 32 percent below Superman, which itself was already considered a mediocre performer.
The film’s daily earnings in China show an even more troubling trend. On Saturday, Fantastic Four brought in only 1.65 million dollars, marking a 5 percent drop from Friday. Compared to other superhero films, the figures are grim: the film is down 8 percent from Shazam 2, 37 percent below Superman, 49 percent off from Captain America 4, and a striking 67 percent lower than The Marvels, which grossed 4.93 million dollars on its first Saturday in China.
Box office tracking had predicted a possible opening in the range of 5 to 6 million, but actual numbers suggest it will land closer to the 4.5 to 4.6 million range, marking one of the lowest Marvel Cinematic Universe openings in the country to date. A breakdown of the screen distribution reveals that 2.27 million of the total came from standard screens, 1.12 million from IMAX, and only 120 thousand dollars from premium formats like Cinity and Dolby.
The film’s reception in China has not been strong either. The Douban user score has slipped to 6.2, down 0.1 from earlier ratings, with Maoyan and Tao scores still unlisted as of the latest update.
Japan’s market has not been more receptive. Over the weekend of July 25 to 27, Fantastic Four debuted with just 1.9 million dollars in earnings, falling behind several other new releases, including Stigmatized Properties 2 and Kamen Rider Gavv. At the top of the Japanese box office was Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which continued its dominant run with 19 million dollars for the weekend, bringing its total to nearly 86 million dollars in Japan alone.
This international underperformance stands in stark contrast to the film’s domestic success. Directed by Matt Shakman, The Fantastic Four: First Steps earned an impressive 24.4 million dollars on preview night, surpassing Superman’s combined Tuesday and Thursday preview numbers. It also scored an A- CinemaScore, marking the highest audience grade ever received by a Fantastic Four film. Industry forecasts suggest that the film could earn upwards of 130 million dollars in its opening domestic weekend.
Part of Marvel Studios’ Phase Six lineup, the film is a fresh reboot of the iconic superhero team, starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn. Set in a stylized 1960s backdrop, the story pits the team against the cosmic entity Galactus, played by Ralph Ineson. The ensemble cast also features Julia Garner, Sarah Niles, Mark Gatiss, Natasha Lyonne, and Paul Walter Hauser, among others.
