Fantastic Four: First Steps Rockets to Box Office Success

The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the latest big-screen adaptation of the iconic superhero team, blasted off to an impressive $118 million domestic debut over the weekend, across 4,125 North American theaters.

With an additional $100 million earned internationally across 52 territories, the film scored a $218 million global opening, marking a triumphant return for one of Marvel’s most beloved but one of historically troubled franchises.

This isn’t the first time the Fantastic Four have graced the screen, but it is the first time they’ve done so under the control of Kevin Feige and the full creative umbrella of Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Co.

Set in a stylized 1960s retro-futuristic world, First Steps goes back to basics, drawing heavily from the tone and spirit of the original Marvel comics. The film follows four astronauts—Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm (Human Torch), and Ben Grimm (The Thing)—who gain incredible powers after exposure to cosmic radiation during a space mission.

Both audiences and critics responded positively to the film, which currently has an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and promising exit poll responses from opening weekend ticket buyers. An estimated 46% of audiences chose to see it on premium screens, including IMAX and other large formats