Fantastic Four Overtakes Transformers at Global Box Office

As of August 15, 2025, the Fantastic Four: First Steps movie is on the verge of surpassing Transformers: Rise of the Beasts at the global box office. The Fantastic Four film has been steadily gaining ground, with its modest success coming after a long wait for new updates in both franchises.

The Transformers series, meanwhile, remains in a state of flux. Fans had hoped the franchise would take off after the tease of a crossover with G.I. Joe, but that project has yet to materialize. With ongoing changes behind the scenes at Paramount, the future of the Transformers series remains uncertain.

The Fantastic Four's performance has been puzzling. Despite receiving positive reviews from critics and audiences alike, the movie is still underperforming at the box office compared to its massive $200 million budget. It joins other Marvel underperformers this year, such as Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts, leaving the studio to analyze why a favorable reception has not translated into stronger ticket sales.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, directed by Steven Caple Jr., also had a mixed run, earning a 51% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. While audience reactions were warmer, hitting 91%, this enthusiasm did not fully reflect in the film's worldwide box office collection of $441.6 million. The movie's $200 million budget was not met with the expected commercial success.