The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s newest installment, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, experienced a significant drop at the box office in its second week of release. After grossing $117.6 million in its first weekend, the film only managed to gross $40.8 million in its second. This 66% drop represents a significant decline in the film’s box office performance.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Drops at the Box Office

While positive reviews and Marvel fan interest in the first week of the film’s debut helped fuel its strong debut, the subsequent decline in viewership reiterated a recent trend for Marvel films. Analysts predict that if the current pace continues, the film will likely fail to break the $500 million mark.

Directed by Matt Shankman, the film, despite being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, takes place in a parallel universe. The story centers on a retro-futuristic version of 1960s America. The film stars Pedro Pascal as Mr. He stars as Fantastic Beasts, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing.

Julia Garner stars as the Silver Surfer in this version. The cast also includes Ralph Ineson, Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, and Sarah Niles.

The film centers on the impending threat of Galactus against Earth. The Fantastic Four’s fight against this threat presents a new narrative style that explores the darker and more epic dimensions of the Marvel universe. However, despite largely positive reviews from critics, this approach failed to resonate with the wider audience.

A dramatic drop in viewership following its first week of release led to the studio falling short of its box office expectations. Comments on the film’s lack of mainstream success often suggest a fatigue-fueled effect from the succession of Marvel films. The film failed to carry the momentum it generated in its first week into its second.