Fantastic Four Streaming Numbers Hit Rock Bottom for Marvel
Marvel's latest superhero team debut struggles to find its audience on Disney Plus, setting an unwelcome record that puts the studio's streaming strategy under scrutiny.
Marvel Studios faces an uncomfortable reality as streaming data reveals their latest superhero venture has stumbled out of the gate. The numbers paint a stark picture of audience engagement that has industry watchers raising eyebrows.
Disappointing Digital Performance
Fresh streaming statistics show that the newest addition to Marvel's superhero roster managed just 556 million viewing minutes during its initial five-day window on Disney Plus following its November 5 launch. When converted to Complete Viewings Equivalent, this amounts to a mere 4.9 million CVEs - marking the weakest debut performance for any Marvel Cinematic Universe film on the platform.
This lackluster showing becomes even more striking when stacked against previous Marvel releases. The superhero landscape tells a different story elsewhere, with other recent entries commanding significantly stronger audience attention from day one.
How Other Marvel Films Performed
The contrast with earlier releases is particularly sharp. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever dominated the streaming charts with an impressive 14.1 million CVEs during its debut period. Guardians of the Galaxy 3 wasn't far behind, pulling in 10.9 million, while Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness captured 9.7 million viewers. Even Eternals, which faced its own challenges, managed 9.2 million CVEs.
Looking at the lower end of Marvel's streaming performance, the latest Fantastic Four entry falls behind even previously struggling releases. Black Widow opened to 5.1 million CVEs, and The Marvels reached 5.3 million - both still outperforming the First Family's debut.
2025 Marvel Releases Comparison
The disappointing streaming numbers become more concerning when compared to other 2025 Marvel releases. Thunderbolts managed to secure 5.5 million CVEs, while Captain America: Brave New World attracted 6.4 million viewers during their respective debut periods.
Some might argue that strong theatrical performance could explain weaker streaming numbers, suggesting audiences satisfied their viewing appetite in cinemas. However, this theory doesn't hold up under scrutiny. Wakanda Forever not only dominated streaming but also crushed the box office with $859 million worldwide, compared to Fantastic Four's $522 million theatrical run.
The film features 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. Marvel's next streaming release, Wonder Man, is scheduled to arrive on Disney Plus January 27.