Los Angeles, CA – The highly anticipated Marvel reboot, “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” directed by Matt Shakman and starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, has hit a snag at the box office. Following a $117.6 million debut weekend, the film plummeted 66%, earning just $40 million in its second weekend in north American theaters, according to data from Comscore.

This sharp decline contrasts with recent superhero releases. “Superman,” starring David Corenswet,experienced a 53% drop in its second weekend. Industry analysts at variety initially predicted a more moderate decrease for “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” hoping it would avoid the fate of other underperforming Marvel films like “Captain America: New World” (68% drop), “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” (70% drop), and “Thor: Love and Thunder” (67% drop). Notably, the film faced no major new releases competing for audience attention this weekend.

As of November 26th, “Fantastic Four: First Steps” has grossed $198 million domestically and $368 million worldwide. While exceeding the lifetime gross of “Captain Marvel 2” ($206 million), which was widely considered a disappointment, and projected to surpass “Captain America: New World”‘s $415 million, the film is falling short of expectations for a flagship Marvel property. the film’s production budget was estimated at $300 million, plus significant marketing costs.

Positive News for Animated and Comedy Releases

The animated sequel, “Bad Guys 2,” produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures, proved a bright spot, earning $22.8 million domestically – nearly matching the $23 million opening weekend of the original 2022 film. The first “Bad Guys” ultimately grossed $250 million globally. International earnings for “Bad Guys 2” reached $16.3 million this weekend.

The reboot of the classic comedy franchise, “Naked Gun,” starring Marlon Wayans, also delivered a promising start, taking in $17 million domestically and $11.5 million internationally. This performance is especially encouraging given the film’s $42 million production budget. The film is distributed by Paramount Pictures.

“One Whole,” a horror film distributed by Neon, debuted with $10.8 million and received a “3+” audience rating, indicating a mixed reception. Neon acquired the rights to the film for $17 million. The film, directed by Emily Lou, stars newcomer Anya petrova.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Superhero Films

The performance of “Fantastic Four: First Steps” raises questions about the current state of the superhero genre. After years of dominance, several recent releases have struggled to maintain momentum. Analysts suggest audience fatigue, coupled with increasing competition from streaming services, may be contributing factors.The success of “Bad Guys 2” and “naked Gun” highlights the continued demand for family-pleasant animation and comedic content.