Critics are loving Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps, putting the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) back in the critical spotlight with a positive Rotten Tomatoes score that surpasses James Gunn’s Superman.
In fact, the arrival of Marvel’s First Family to the MCU is shaping up to be one of the franchise’s best outings yet after a series of commercially and critically unsuccessful releases.
As Marvel finally delivers its strongest Fantastic Four film after several past iterations, here’s how First Steps succeeds.
What is The Fantastic Four: First Steps Score?
The Fantastic Four debuts with an impressive 88% Rotten Tomatoes score—one percent higher than the 2025 Superman, which started at 86% and has since dropped to 83%.
It also ranks higher than another MCU film released earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World, which holds a 45% score, but ties with Thunderbolts, which also sits at 88%.
Compared to previous adaptations, the 2025 version clearly leads. The 2005 Fantastic Four has a 27% score on Rotten Tomatoes, its sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer holds 37%, and the 2015 reboot has a dismal 9%.
Thankfully, First Steps breaks this “unfortunate streak,” backed by over 130 reviews offering strong approval.
Critics have mostly praised its 1960s retro-futuristic aesthetic, the ensemble cast—Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm / Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm / Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm / The Thing—its comic-accurate depiction of Galactus, and its top-tier visuals.
As Proxima Tanda’s Mario Alegre puts it, “Marvel gets back to basics and plays it really safe with The Fantastic Four's third cinematic incarnation of the 21st Century.”
However, just like Superman, The Fantastic Four’s Rotten Tomatoes may drop after the movie officially hits the theaters and more critic reviews are added.
Could The Fantastic Four: First Steps Succeed at the Box Office?
With the success of Superman and The Fantastic Four projected to earn between $190 million and $210 million at the global box office, this could mark the end of superhero fatigue.
Gunn’s film has already soared past $409 million worldwide, while First Steps is projected to open with $220 million.
Its international earnings are expected to range from $90 million to $100 million, while domestic projections sit between $100 million and $110 million across 4,100 theaters in the U.S. and Canada.
With advance tickets going on sale seven weeks ago and domestic presales now at $20 million, there’s a strong chance The Fantastic Four will perform well at the box office.
It’s also worth noting that this marks the first time Marvel Studios fully owns the Fantastic Four IP following the Disney-Fox merger.
As one of the most anticipated MCU releases this year—and with the long-awaited debut of Marvel’s First Family in the MCU coupled with strong reviews—this may be the success Marvel has been hoping for.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps will premiere on July 24.
Keep it locked on Epicstream, your go-to source for film, TV, and celebrity news!