Despite both films generating significant revenue for Marvel Studios, Iron Man 2’s lifetime box office earnings have eclipsed those of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Iron Man 2 and The Fantastic Four: First Steps rank 21st and 22nd, respectively, among the highest-grossing films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Data from Box Office Mojo reveals that these rankings are determined by their domestic lifetime gross earnings, with Iron Man 2 grossing $312.4 million from 4,390 U.S. theaters after 105 days of release, while First Steps collected $274 million over 73 days from 4,125 theaters. Both films debuted with strong opening weekends, pulling in $51 million and $57 million, respectively; however, they experienced significant declines of 70% and 79% in their second weeks.
In terms of yearly performance, both films ranked among the top-grossing theatrical releases of their respective years. Iron Man 2 secured seventh place overall in 2010 with a worldwide gross of $624 million, whereas First Steps currently holds the position of the tenth-highest-grossing film of 2025 with total earnings of $521.5 million. Although these figures suggest success, it is essential to note that an undisclosed production budget for First Steps is estimated to exceed $200 million. Industry professionals generally stipulate that films must earn three times their total costs—including distribution and marketing—to achieve profitability.
While Iron Man 2 received an overwhelmingly favorable reception, it occupies a lower rank on the MCU’s all-time best films list on Rotten Tomatoes, placed at 29th with a critics’ score of 72%. In contrast, First Steps stands at 14th with an impressive 86%. Notably, this newest installment is the strongest adaptation of the Marvel IP to date, especially following two earlier adaptations in the 2000s and a poorly received reboot in 2015. Marvel Studios regained the film rights to The Fantastic Four in 2019, alongside other notable properties such as Deadpool and the X-Men, all of which are anticipated to join both veteran and new MCU characters in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.
Marvel’s chief creative officer, Kevin Feige, recently hinted at a comprehensive seven-year trajectory for the franchise, projecting to extend through 2032. However, he stressed that this timeline remains flexible. Although a sequel to Fantastic Four is currently in pipeline, its release schedule is yet to be solidified. Feige asserted the importance of The Fantastic Four within the MCU’s future structure.
“Why Fantastic Four? Because it’s Marvel’s first family,” Feige remarked, referring specifically to the reboot. First Steps marks the inaugural film of MCU Phase 6. “Historically, they deserve to be A-listers. They were A-listers in the comics. Every crossover movie crafted during the Infinity Saga, from Civil War to Infinity War and Endgame, prominently featured the Fantastic Four, yet we were unable to incorporate them at that time.”
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is currently available on digital PVOD platforms, and Iron Man 2 is available for streaming on Disney+.
Based on reporting by CBR.com. Read the full story at CBR.com.