Fantastic Four: First Steps Sets Record for Lowest MCU Disney Plus Launch
Fantastic Four: First Steps struggled to draw viewers on Disney Plus, posting the weakest debut numbers of any MCU film to date. Its first five days saw just 4.9 million Complete Viewings Equivalent, far behind recent Marvel hits.
Marvel ’s latest entry, Fantastic Four: First Steps, has made headlines for an unexpected reason—its streaming debut on Disney Plus has drawn the smallest audience of any Marvel Cinematic Universe film so far. In its first five days after launching on November 5, the film racked up 556 million minutes watched, which translates to 4.9 million Complete Viewings Equivalent (CVEs).
Comparing Marvel’s Streaming Debuts
When stacked up against other recent Marvel releases, the numbers for First Steps look especially modest.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
leads the pack, pulling in 14.1 million CVEs during its initial five-day run.
Guardians of the Galaxy 3
followed with 10.9 million, while
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
and
Eternals
posted 9.7 million and 9.2 million, respectively.
On the lower end,
Black Widow
managed 5.1 million, and
The Marvels
reached 5.3 million. Even these titles edged out Fantastic Four: First Steps, which now sits at the bottom of the MCU ’s Disney Plus debut rankings.
Box Office and Streaming: A Tough Comparison
Some might argue that fans chose to catch the film in theaters rather than wait for streaming, but the box office numbers tell a different story.
Wakanda Forever
grossed $859 million worldwide in 2022, while Fantastic Four: First Steps brought in $522 million. The streaming debut, then, seems to reflect a broader trend in audience interest.
Other 2025 Marvel releases also outperformed First Steps on Disney Plus.
Thunderbolts
drew 5.5 million CVEs, and
Captain America: Brave New World
reached 6.4 million, both surpassing the Fantastic Four’s numbers.
Cast and What’s Next for Marvel
Fantastic Four: First Steps features Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm. Despite the star-studded cast, the film’s streaming performance fell short of expectations.
Looking ahead, Marvel fans can anticipate the arrival of
Wonder Man
on Disney Plus, set to premiere January 27. Until then, viewers have plenty of upcoming Marvel movies and series to add to their watchlists.