A Rough Weekend for Marvel as Fantastic Four Sinks 66% and Naked Gun Hits the Target with $17 Million

Just a week ago, Marvel’s “Fantastic Four: First Steps” felt like the studio had finally found its groove again. It opened big — \$117.6 million big — and the buzz was all over the internet. People said it was fresh, heartfelt, and had a kind of old-school charm that recent Marvel movies lost.

But then came weekend two. And just like that, the momentum crashed — hard. Ticket sales dropped by 66%, down to just \$40 million. To put that in perspective: analysts expected a dip, sure, but this steep a fall hit the fandom like a gut punch.

And here’s the kicker — this movie actually had decent reviews and strong word of mouth. There weren’t any other major superhero releases in sight. So why didn’t audiences come back?

For fans who’ve been waiting years for a proper return, this one stings. The Fantastic Four isn’t just any Marvel team—it’s a legacy. This movie was supposed to be their moment to shine again. And while the hardcore fans showed up and showed love, the wider audience just didn’t latch on. Now, it’s landing in the same spot as other recent misfires like Ant-Man: Quantumania, Thor: Love and Thunder, and the shaky Captain America: Brave New World—movies that started strong, then dropped off fast.

Still, there’s a silver lining — at nearly \$368 million globally, “First Steps” is still pacing ahead of Marvel’s other recent flops. So it’s not a total loss. Just… not the roaring return many hoped for.

Meanwhile, a few new releases quietly made their own mark. DreamWorks’ animated sequel The Bad Guys 2 pulled in a solid \$22.8 million — nearly identical to the original’s debut back in 2022. That’s no small feat, considering this franchise started when movie theaters were still in pandemic shock. Families are clearly loving it — with an “A” CinemaScore, the sequel is already winning hearts and shaping up to be a real crowd-pleaser.

Another surprise? The Naked Gun reboot. Yes, really. Liam Neeson stepped into a role his fans would never expect — the son of bumbling detective Frank Drebin — and somehow, it worked. The comedy opened with \$17 million and solid reviews (a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score and an A- from audiences), proving that even in a world of superheroes and sequels, people still love a ridiculous laugh.

And then there’s Together — the bizarre body-horror romance starring real-life couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco. It didn’t top the charts, but it made a strong statement: \$10.8 million in five days and enough buzz to earn headlines. Some viewers were horrified (the “C+” CinemaScore says it all), but that shock value is exactly what Neon was counting on. They even offered couples therapy to anyone who saw it opening weekend. Yes, really.

Elsewhere, Superman’s latest chapter is holding steady in fourth place, and the new Jurassic World reboot is still stomping around the box office with big numbers.

But all eyes are still on Marvel. If Fantastic Four — a title fans have begged to see done right — can’t hold the spotlight, what does that say about the future of superhero movies?

Maybe the real superpower these days… is just making people care again.

Source: variety.com