This is true. Sure they’re Marvel’s “First Family” but even before the MCU or any of the fox movies they were less popular than The Avengers, who were less popular than the X-men.

Also, putting the movie up against Superman, who is DC’s #1 or #2 character, was a bad call.

I thought the movie was great though.

Basically, yeah, but with everything.

Regurgitated rehashes of rehashes of rehashes. Ai slop has been our reality since before Ai slop. The only time I even get remotely surprised, it's usually an indie thriller or horror film.

It's no wonder Invincible is popular. It's no wonder Severance is popular. Yeah, they're good, but they're also fresh to the general public. They're innately interesting and new.

Marvel doesn't do "interesting and new". They're a nostalgia factory.

This is, IMHO, why Superman is doing so well. It's the type of unapologetically wholesome shit I didn't know my soul was so desperate for.

EDIT: My wife just called it "hope porn" and I think it fits.

I do think they should have delayed Fantastic Four until at least mid August if not later. Maybe even save it for 2026.

2023 had three MCU films, 2024 had just one MCU film, 2025 was back to three, 2026 will have just two. There was plenty of space for this film, to put it right after Superman was probably a mistake.

I fell asleep during Fantastic Four. It was boring as hell.

Didn't see Superman though so I can't compare it.

I'm already two movies behind and yeah, I opted for Superman as well with zero regrets.

I know I'll see Fantastic Four on Disney+ eventually, and that's Disney's main problem.

Future Foundation is pretty much the definitive modern F4 story. Hickmens run as a whole is peak.

A problem with the F4 is that their golden age of stories was back in the Silver Age of Comic Books. They were a cornerstone a lot of the early world-building of the Marvel Universe. Their lasting legacy has been the characters and ideas these stories introduced to the Marvel universe: Dr Doom, Galactus, The Silver Surfer, Black Panther, The Negative Zone, ect. Marvel has long struggled to adapt the team to the modern era.

I haven't seen the movie yet, but IMO the best F4 stories are ones where they aren't so much a team of super heroes, but rather a team of scientist and explorers with super powers. They are better suited to telling sci-fi stories rather then traditional superhero stories.