First Steps and Superman stack up at the box office and with critics? With both films launching in July 2025, fans and analysts have been comparing every number and rating to see which superhero epic came out on top.

That might sound like no big deal, but after 2023’s “The Marvels,” this spring’s fourth “Captain America” movie and “Thunderbolts*” all underperformed by Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) standards, the new “Fantastic Four” may offer broader audience appeal by not pulling from other franchises.

Outside of 'Deadpool & Wolverine,' the reboot looks to score the best domestic opening for Kevin Feige's superhero studio since 2022's 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.'

For the past two weeks now, I’ve gone to the movies. That’s probably the first time in a half decade or so that I’ve actually chosen to buy tickets, make the drive out to the Lawrence multiplex, and watch two films on two successive Sundays.

We've got two top-notch comic-book movies in theaters: "Superman" and a new "Fantastic Four." How do they rank among the best superhero movies ever?

Ralph Ineson, whose gigantic stature and booming voice can be found in Fantastic Four this week, co-starred alongside Nicholas Hoult, aka Superman's Lex Luther, in last year's Robert Eggers-directed Nosferatu remake. And now, the pair have bonded further, as each currently serve as the main antagonist in this year's comic book movie tentpoles.

This success is no small feat, as previous iterations of the Fantastic Four never caught fire with fans or critics. The 2005 and 2007 Fox films were financially adequate but critically derided, and the 2015 reboot was widely panned,