The Fantastic Four: First Steps releasing in July 2025. Though there is a two-week window between them, their similar premiere dates set up a DC versus Marvel showdown. Superman comes out on July 11, while The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrives on July 25, right in the middle of San Diego Comic Con.
Over on The filmmaker previously directed the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy for Marvel, which remains one of their best-received sub-franchises. He, however, had no time for hating on Marvel, stating: "They come out two weeks after us - there's room for us both! I love my friends at Marvel. You can find whatever discussions you'd want to find online. I'd focus on all the positivity around the films instead of getting sucked up in online fan wars."
What James Gunn's Superman And Fantastic Four Comments Mean
When it comes to a film's legs at the box office, it's important to consider the variance between its opening weekend and the remainder of its release. Generally speaking, a film's first weekend makes up around a third of its overall gross, though there are films that deviate from this pattern. Openings typically have the biggest single-weekend showing because existing fans are likely to see the movie right away. Its subsequent box office is a mix between more casual fans, word-of-mouth attendees, repeat viewers, and those just looking for a movie—any movie—to see.
James Gunn Addresses Superman Movie Runtime Rumors
After there have been multiple rumors about the runtime for James Gunn's Superman movie, the filmmaker himself is now addressing the various times.
Superman will likely be beyond its most profitable weekends when The Fantastic Four: First Steps releases. Even so, it is likely that the latter will affect the former's ticket sales for the later duration of its theatrical window. Nonetheless, the broader superhero genre does better when competition and audience interest are steep. The best modern example is the year 2016, which saw the release of Deadpool, Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice, Captain America: Civil War, and X-Men: Apocalypse all within only a few months.
Our Take On James Gunn's Superman And Fantastic Four Comments
Gunn is right; plenty of successful movies come out within weeks of each other. Just last year, Moana 2 and Wicked dominated the Thanksgiving movie season, with both films turning a profit. Pitting Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps against one another is yet another perpetuation of the DC versus Marvel comic "fan wars" that have raged for decades. In truth, both films are most likely to succeed when the genre succeeds.
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Superman
- Release Date
- July 11, 2025
- Director
- James Gunn
- Writers
- James Gunn, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster
- Producers
- Lars P. Winther, Peter Safran
- Franchise(s)
- DCU
Cast
Clark Kent / Superman / Kal-El
Rachel BrosnahanLois Lane
Nicholas HoultLex Luthor
Edi GathegiMichael Holt / Mister Terrific
Superman: This film follows Clark Kent, a cub reporter in Metropolis, as he navigates the complexities of his dual identity, struggling to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing while embracing his role as Superman.
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
- July 25, 2025
- Director
- Matt Shakman
- Writers
- Jeff Kaplan, Josh Friedman, Ian Springer, Eric Pearson, Stan Lee
- Producers
- Jamie Christopher, Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Tim Lewis
- Franchise(s)
- Marvel Cinematic Universe
Cast
Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic
Vanessa KirbySue Storm / The Invisible Woman
Johnny Storm / Human Torch
Ebon Moss-BachrachBen Grimm / The Thing
The Fantastic Four: First Steps depicts Marvel's First Family navigating their roles as heroes amidst a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world. As they defend Earth from Galactus and the enigmatic Silver Surfer, they must also uphold the strength of their family bond.
