SupermanandThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsare due to release within weeks of each other, but if the trailers are anything to go by, the victor may already be decided. It’s no secret that Superhero movies have been having some trouble for the last several years. While the odd release has managed to earn significant sums at the box office, or get rave reviews, superhero fatigue has seen a drop in both areas. And the Multiverse Saga has struggled to keep fans invested in a way that the Infinity Saga naturally gripped audiences.
Meanwhile, the DCEU has been laid to rest, with many actors recast, and movie cliffhangers left to never get a resolution. But fortunately,both theMCU and the DCUare set to get an exciting rebirth momentwithSupermankicking off the theatrical side of DC Studio’s new franchise, whileFantastic Four: First Stepswill bring Marvel’s First Family to the big screen. And coincidentally, both films are set to come out almost back to back.
Superman & Fantastic Four’s Release Windows Deliver A Real Blockbuster Summer
July 2025 Is One Of The Biggest Months For Superhero Movies Of All Time
Supermanwill be released early in July, on the 11th. Just weeks later,Fantastic Fourcomes out on July 25. And intriguingly,Jurassic World: Rebirth, the first installment in a brand-new trilogy from theJurassic Parkfranchise, also releases in July on the 2nd. Evidently, with these three titles all coming out in the same month, just as Summer is getting into full swing, itpromises to be a huge month for fansof these franchises.
This is made even more exciting because, where DC is concerned, thelast movie released under their banner was still a part of the DCEU. December 2023 sawAquaman 2finally come out five years after the original. Marvel has a decidedly smaller gap, withCaptain America: Brave New Worldreleasing in February, andThunderbolts*coming out in May, butFantastic Fourkicks off Phase 6and the end of the Multiverse Saga.
Superman Took The First Round In The DC vs Marvel Summer Battle
However, the dispute now is which film will end up performing better. Historically, the MCU has managed to have significantly higher ratings and box office returns compared to the DCEU, but the tides may be turning. For the duration of the Multiverse Saga,Marvel has been seeing a huge drop-off in both box office returns and ratings, though there have been a few titles that managed to kick the trend. And while the DCU has a fresh start withSuperman,Fantastic Fourbuilds on an extensive legacy that could give it the edge.
Every Time Marvel & DC Movies Opened In The Same Month (& Who Won)
2025 will mark the eighth time that Marvel and DC have released superhero movies in the same month as each other, as July is a superhero-packed month.
Yet, if the response to the trailers is anything to go by, thenSupermanlooks to be the more enticingproject for audiences.Superman’strailer, which came out in late December, was able to rack up an astonishing24 million views within 24 hours of its release. This shattered previous records for DCEU projects, and it also claimed over a million likes on the trailer in that 24-hour period.Fantastic Four: First Stepswas not far behind, though it came up decidedly shorter with 21 million views and 750,000 likes in the first 24 hours (viaCBM). It is possible that this could shift over time, but in terms of immediate response,Supermanwins.
Which Movie Will Earn The Most At The Box Office?
Superman Vs. Fantastic Four: First Steps' Box Office Could Decide The Overall Winner
At it’s peak, the MCU managed to release the highest gross earning movie of all time withAvengers: Endgame, which was knocked from the top spot due to James Cameron’sAvatarre-releases bringing that movie’s box office just overEndgame’s. However, since the end of the Infinity Saga, only two of the 11 theatrically released feature films have managed to break the $1 billion threshold (viaThe Numbers). Compared to the 23 movies that came out in the Infinity Saga, with nine separate titles earning more than a billion, and two of those cracking $2 billion, it’shard to imagineFantastic Fourstretching much further than $1 billioneven if it proves incredibly popular.
Meanwhile, Superman is the flagship hero of DC, the DCU is rebooting the entire franchise, and it’s difficult to predict how the movie will fare at the box office. However, with the movie coming out a few weeks earlier in July, there is time and opportunity for the film to earn big numbers at the box office. Though, if the history of the DCEU and previousSupermanmovies is anything to go by, this seems doubtful. The MCU has more consistently had bigger box office potential, and if they tease and marketFantastic Four: First Stepsright in the movies leading up to its release, it could outperform the otherreleases from the Multiverse Sagato date.
