Fantastic Four Tops Box Office With 66% Second Weekend Drop

Marvel's "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" led the domestic box office for its second weekend but suffered a sharp 66% drop to an estimated $40 million, falling short of expectations despite strong critical acclaim and a 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film's international earnings mirrored this decline, generating about $39.6 million, bringing its global total to approximately $368 million after two weekends. This steep second-weekend decline aligns with recent trends of diminishing returns for Marvel Studios' superhero films, reflecting ongoing concerns about superhero fatigue and waning audience engagement. Other new releases included Universal/DreamWorks' animated sequel "The Bad Guys 2," which opened at $22.2 million, and Paramount's "The Naked Gun" reboot, which earned $17 million, both performing solidly but not threatening Marvel's top spot. Despite the strong opening and positive buzz, "Fantastic Four" is projected to fall short of $200 million domestically, signaling challenges in sustaining momentum for Marvel's cinematic universe amid shifting viewer habits. Meanwhile, Marvel is making notable casting changes for upcoming projects, including the X-Men, as part of broader efforts to revitalize interest in the franchise.