After a $117.6 million domestic start and promising word of mouth from its opening weekend, it looked like "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" could at least be a step in the right direction for Marvel Studios after two years of inconsistent box office returns.

First Steps ’ second-week ticket sales called it a cratering, and noted that its week-to-week drop was akin to similar stumbles for past Marvel pariahs Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Thor: Love and Thunder.

First Steps is far from a bomb, but its box office performance does raise questions about how Marvel Studios should proceed going forward.