2023 saw the cinematic war of two of the greatest films of all time, Oppenheimer and Barbie, in a battle that left no losers. A similar feat is expected to take place next year when MCU’s Fantastic Four reboot will go head-to-head against DCU’s Superman reboot.
After Marvel confirmed the cast of the anticipated MCU’s version of Fantastic Four, the studio also announced that the movie will be released in July next year. Although releasing on a later date, the Pedro Pascal starrer film will arrive in the same month as James Gunn’s first DCU movie, Superman: Legacy, preparing the field for an epic nightmare for Marvel.
MCU’s Fantastic Four To Release In The Same Month As DCU’s Superman: Legacy
After years of waiting, Marvel is ready with its own tale of Fantastic Four. The first movie under Marvel Studio after years of being under Fox, fans have been desperate for Marvel’s first family to make its entry into the huge MCU. After a cameo appearance of an alternate universe’s Mr Fantastic in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the cast of the upcoming film was just announced.
However, while the cast is another matter fans are concerned about the movie’s release date. As per the latest update Marvel has made significant changes in its upcoming roster. Since the filming of Thunderbolts has already begun, its release date has been exchanged with Fantastic Four. So while the former will be released on May 2, 2025, the latter will be released on July 25, 2025 (via Deadline).
As a result, this puts the movie in the same month as the upcoming DCU movie, Superman: Legacy, which will be released on July 11, 2025. Despite both studios facing a horrible fate at the box office last year, this decision by Marvel can either mean two things, an epic box-office nightmare for it or a phenomenon similar to Barbenhiemer. However, the former seems highly likely to happen since the Fantastic Four movies are infamous for always turning out to be a disappointment.
MCU’s Fantastic Four To Face A Nightmare Time At The Box Office?
2023 was an amazing year for movies in general but for the superhero world, it was an epic failure. With two of its three theatrical releases turning out to be its biggest box-office bombs, Marvel faced numerous disappointments last year. Similarly for DCEU, all its theatrical releases turned out to be a hit-and-miss despite the hype.
However, seeing its recent schedule change, 2025 isn’t looking any good for Marvel as well, since one of its biggest releases of next year will be pitched against Superman: Legacy. The Kryptonian flick is among the most anticipated DC movies since it would be the first major movie under James Gunn‘s revamped DCU as well as the first one under him after he assumed DC’s leadership.
The chances of Marvel failing at the box office seem more likely when one looks at the casting of the two films as well. While fans have been loving the casting of David Corenswet as Superman (see UNILAD), they are not so sure about the cast of Fantastic Four. Starring Pedro Pascal as Mr Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm, the reactions to the latest Marvel casting have been mixed so far (see X and Reddit).
Despite having enough breathing room, the movies will inevitably be pitched against each other by fans. Furthermore, Marvel is more prone to the superhero fatigue bug since it is expected to release several major projects next year while there might only be a handful of major DC projects (see comingsoon.net). Moreover, with Jurassic World 4 expected to release in the same month, the box office might turn out to be a nightmare for both studios.
While the release dates are still far, speculation is rampant. Would Marvel’s ambitious lineup succumb to superhero fatigue, or would DC’s resurrected universe soar to new heights? Or will the box office face a similar phenomenon as Barbenhiemer or will be devoured by the epic Dinosaur flick?
Superman: Legacy will be released on July 11, 2025, while Fantastic Four will be released on July 25, 2025.
