Superman

and The Fantastic Four: First Steps

are 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 the MCU and the DCU are set to get an exciting rebirth moment with Superman kicking off the theatrical side of DC Studio’s new franchise, while Fantastic Four: First Steps will 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

Superman will be released early in July, on the 11th. Just weeks later, Fantastic Four comes out on July 25. And intriguingly, Jurᴀssic World: Rebirth, the first installment in a brand-new trilogy from the Jurᴀssic Park franchise, also releases in July on the 2nd. Evidently, with these three тιтles all coming out in the same month, just as Summer is getting into full swing, it promises to be a huge month for fans of these franchises.

This is made even more exciting because, where DC is concerned, the last movie released under their banner was still a part of the DCEU. December 2023 saw Aquaman 2 finally come out five years after the original. Marvel has a decidedly smaller gap, with Captain America: Brave New World releasing in February, and Thunderbolts* coming out in May, but Fantastic Four kicks off Phase 6 and the end of the Multiverse Saga.

Superman Took The First Round In The DC vs Marvel Summer Battle

Superman Is Already Taking A Decisive Lead Ahead Of The Movie’s Release

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 тιтles that managed to kick the trend. And while the DCU has a fresh start with Superman, Fantastic Four builds on an extensive legacy that could give it the edge.

Yet, if the response to the trailers is anything to go by, then Superman looks to be the more enticing project for audiences. Superman’s trailer, which came out in late December, was able to rack up an astonishing 24 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 Steps was not far behind, though it came up decidedly shorter with 21 million views and 750,000 likes in the first 24 hours (via CBM). It is possible that this could shift over time, but in terms of immediate response, Superman wins.

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 with Avengers: Endgame, which was knocked from the top spot due to James Cameron’s Avatar re-releases bringing that movie’s box office just over Endgame’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 (via The Numbers). Compared to the 23 movies that came out in the Infinity Saga, with nine separate тιтles earning more than a billion, and two of those cracking $2 billion, it’s hard to imagine Fantastic Four stretching much further than $1 billion even 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 previous Superman movies is anything to go by, this seems doubtful. The MCU has more consistently had bigger box office potential, and if they tease and market Fantastic Four: First Steps right in the movies leading up to its release, it could outperform the other releases from the Multiverse Saga to date.

Upcoming MCU Movies

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  Captain America: Brave New World

  Release Date

  
  February 14, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Thunderbolts*

  Release Date

  
  May 2, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  The Fantastic Four: First Steps

  Release Date

  
  July 25, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Doomsday (2026)

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  
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  Spider-Man Homecoming 4

  Release Date

  
  July 24, 2026
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Secret Wars

  Release Date

  
  May 7, 2027
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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Upcoming DC Movie Releases

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  Superman

  Release Date

  
  July 11, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow

  Release Date

  
  June 26, 2026
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  The Batman Part II

  Release Date

  
  October 1, 2027
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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