Heroic July: 'Fantastic Four' to lock horns with 'Superman'
What's the story
The upcoming releases of The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Superman in July are reigniting a decades-old rivalry between Marvel and DC.
The competition, which fans often see as a "war" (despite industry professionals denying it), has become a trend in the superhero film industry.
The two studios are now racing to reclaim their former glory, with these films leading the charge.
Past rivalries
A look back at Marvel vs DC's premiere wars
The Marvel-DC rivalry goes back to the early 2000s when superhero movies were all the rage. Naturally, the two studios clashed.
One of the most memorable ones was in June 2011 when Green Lantern, despite its underwhelming performance, sparked the premiere wars against X-Men: First Class.
The next year, Andrew Garfield's The Amazing Spider-Man took on Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises in July 2012.
Box office battles
'Thor: Ragnarok' and 'Justice League' added to the rivalry
In November 2017, Thor: Ragnarok was pitted against Justice League, despite Marvel's reign at the time. While Ragnarok initially won, Snyder eventually redeemed himself.
A year later, Sony's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was up against Aquaman in December 2018. The former won critical acclaim but the latter ruled the box office with over $1 billion in global earnings.
Recent rivalries
'Avengers: Endgame' and 'Shazam!' marked another Marvel-DC clash
In April 2019, Avengers: Endgame crushed every competition, including Zachary Levi's Shazam!.
After a short break post-Infinity Saga finale and COVID-era lockdown, the battle returned in June 2023 with The Flash and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
The latest face-off was between Joker: Folie a Deux and Venom: The Last Dance in October 2024, although neither film lived up to the audience's expectations.
Upcoming releases
'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' and 'Superman' to premiere
Now, in July 2025, The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Superman will revive this classic rivalry.
Directed by Matt Shakman, the former stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/ The Thing. It's aiming for a July 25 release slot.
Meanwhile, David Corenswet is the new Man of Steel, under James Gunn's leadership. This premieres on July 11.