Though Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps hasn’t been as financially successful as previous MCU movies, the next three are certain to be box office bankers. Though it was well-received, The Fantastic Four: First Steps struggled at the box office. While this might be disappointing for Marvel, the MCU’s next movies are guaranteed heavy hitters.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps was positioned as a fresh start for Marvel’s First Family after two decades of uneven big-screen adaptations. Officially bringing the team into the MCU timeline, First Steps boasted numerous Marvel characters and some thrilling Marvel Easter eggs. Despite this, the movie’s box office performance has been disappointing.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Is Having An Underwhelming Box Office Run

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is certainly performing better than some recent MCU entries. However, its numbers are undeniably underwhelming for a movie meant to introduce such an important corner of Marvel lore. Currently sitting under the $400 million mark worldwide, the film ranks in the lower third of MCU releases.

That puts The Fantastic Four: First Steps ahead of infamous underperformers like The Marvels and Eternals. However, it’s far below the billion-dollar benchmarks set by past tentpole releases. Part of the issue is that First Steps was never marketed as a must-see event in the same way other MCU introductions, like Black Panther or Guardians of the Galaxy were.

Why Marvel Movies Have Been Struggling At The Box Office

Marvel’s box office troubles can’t be pinned on a single factor – they’re the result of a perfect storm. Superhero fatigue is real, with general audiences less willing to rush out for every costumed adventure, especially after more than 30 interconnected films. As a result, the MCU has moved back to more standalone adventures.

This was supposed to liberate audiences from feeling like they had to attend each movie, and the result was they didn’t. While many resent the amount of homework the MCU can require, mandated viewing does guarantee attendees. First Steps struck a middle ground. It was set in a separate universe from the primary MCU timeline but also feeds directly into Avengers: Doomsday.

Poor or middling reviews also haven’t helped the MCU. The days when MCU movies were near-universally praised seem distant. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Eternals both suffered from weak word of mouth, turning what could have been solid hits into disappointments.

Oversaturation is another major problem for the MCU. The Disney+ shows, while initially exciting, have blurred the line between “essential” and “optional” viewing. For casual viewers, the idea of keeping up with multiple series and films per year is exhausting. Add in the increasing compeтιтion from non-superhero blockbusters, and it’s clear the MCU is no longer the only cinematic event.

Several major movies have rekindled event cinema. The “Barbenheimer” phenomenon drew audiences to see both Barbie and Oppenheimer, while Top Gun: Maverick offered thrilling and must-see cinematography capabilities. Moreover, the previously ailing DCEU has been replaced, with the DCU’s Superman opening triumphantly.

For several years, the MCU movies were the only ones that audiences were actually going to the cinema to see. That has changed in the last few years, with filmmakers making a concerted effort to justify a big-screen experience. Where Marvel once dominated, others are quickly catching up. There are, however, some guaranteed heavyweights on the horizon.

The Next 3 MCU Movies Have A Much Higher Chance Of Box Office Success

Despite the downturn, Marvel’s next three projects are positioned to reverse the trend in a big way. First up is Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the follow-up to the multiverse-shattering Spider-Man No Way Home. Given the previous Spider-Man film’s $1.9 billion haul and Tom Holland’s enduring popularity, this sequel is almost guaranteed to be a mᴀssive hit.

With several beloved MCU characters joining Web-Head, its appeal will span multiple sub-franchises. Sony and Marvel have built a reliable formula with these movies, and the fan anticipation for Peter Parker’s next chapter is sky-high. It might struggle to meet No Way Home’s success, but it will get people into the movie theater.

Following that is Avengers: Doomsday, the first Avengers film in seven years. Every previous Avengers entry has been a billion-dollar juggernaut, with Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame breaking records. The sheer event nature of the тιтle, combined with the debut of major new villains, should drive audiences back in droves.

The return of Robert Downey Jr. is sure to be a huge draw, even for those more curious than compelled. The mystery alone of how Marvel will navigate his casting is intriguing enough for audiences. However, RDJ’s star power is also a factor, enticing audiences out to see the movie – particularly among MCU audiences.

Finally, there’s Avengers: Secret Wars. This adaptation of the beloved Marvel Comics crossover has been teased for years and promises a multiverse-scale spectacle. With the potential to unite characters from across decades of Marvel films (including pre-MCU favorites), this could rival Endgame as one of the biggest movies of all time.

It’s widely expected for Secret Wars to be a soft reboot of the franchise, much like the comics’ “Secret Wars II.” In the comics, Marvel used this as an opportunity to select characters from across the multiverse to retain, retiring and replacing certain legacy characters. As such, Doomsday could be even more climactic and important for the MCU than Endgame.

If so, large audiences could be expected. This would drive up the box office success, perhaps even to Infinity Saga levels. Certainly, at least, the poor performance of The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be quickly forgotten.