Summary
This summer is set to be a huge one for fans of superhero movies, with both DC and Marvel Studios releasing significant movies.Supermanwill kickstart the new era of the DCU on July 11, whileFantastic Four: First Stepswill continue the Marvel Cinematic Universe on July 25, being the first film in phase six.
The release dates of each mean thatSupermanandFantastic Four: First Stepswill be competing against each other, and while that isn’t an ideal situation for either movie, it does create fun competition. Internally, both studios hope to walk away with a greater box office return. Still, externally, fans are currently trying to create a new movement that will see movie fans come together to support both films.
#SuperFantastic Is Being Pushed By Fans Of Both Movies
They Are Trying To Create The Next #Barbenhimer Movement
In 2023,BarbieandOppenheimerwere released to the world, bringing two of the best movies of that year to the cinema simultaneously. They were polar opposites but were both equally hyped about, which led to some unique marketing that both movies ended up getting behindwith the #Barbenheimer movement, which became a cultural phenomenon. People would go to movie theaters and watch the two films back to back, even if the other one wasn’t something they’d typically view. Fans dressed up as characters from each film or even combined them, with the actors involved in both getting interviewed regularly about the other. It was something that was referenced on major talk shows and became a huge topic in pop culture generally for several weeks. It was a positive situation for the movie industry and benefited both movies.Barbiemade $1.5 billion at the global box office, whileOppenheimerbrought in $950 million, which was significantly more than either would have made without the power of #Barbeheimer.
Cinemas worldwide have been attempting to recreate this ever since due to its popularity, but superhero fans might be providing the answer they’re looking for with the #SuperFantastic movement. The idea is that fans will try to support both movies so that they perform equally as well upon their release, even though there’s a strong chance that one will hurt the other.Supermanbeing a hit could lead to fewer peoplewatchingFantastic Four: First Stepson its all-important opening weekend, while the Marvel film will demand more screens at Superman’s expense. It’s a situation that could seriously hurt one of them, but fans are doing everything in their power to stop that, and even Pedro Pascal himself has gotten on board with it, sharing fan art that has been pushing this connection.
Superman And Fantastic Four: First Steps Are Too Similar For This To Work
Oppenheimer And Barbie Was Special Due To How Unique The Movies Were
While the#SuperFantastic branding is a neat ideaand showcases the passion of superhero and comic book fans, the reality is that it’s unlikely to work as well. While it might convince a few diehard DC and Marvel fans to check out the other film, the reality is that they’re both too similar for this idea to have a positive impact on the bottom line. Both movies appeal to the same genre, meaning that people who go and seeSupermanwould very likely have been checking out Marvel’s late offering regardless of the #SuperFantastic movement. The beauty of #Barbenheimer was the fact that both films were so utterly different that the idea of them being marketed together was insane. They appealed to two totally unique types of moviegoers, and while there will always be a slender crossover, the marketing positively impacted both. Many of theBarbiefans who went and sawOppenheimerwould typically never have sat down for a historical drama, and vice versa. That’s what was so magical about it, as fans of each movie just got on board with the idea and accepted it, making it special.
#SuperFantastic Will Only Appeal To The Same Audience
This Branding Won’t Benefit Either Superman Or Fantastic Four: First Steps At The Box Office
#SuperFantastic will be appealing to the same audience, and rather than bringing in new fans to either movie, it will be a trend recycled by the existing superhero audience. It’s positive tosee DC and Marvel fans working togetherthis way. Still,the branding and marketing idea isn’t going to get the general wider public talking about either movie in the way that #Barbenheimer did, and that’s ultimately the entire reason something like this happens. Instead of letting both movies exist in their own space and seeing which one thrives, fans are now trying to force something that doesn’t feel organic to ensure that neither one fails. Ultimately, bothSupermanandFantastic Four: First Stepshave exciting trailers and are being built around popular characters that should lead to them both thriving at the box office, but their success or failure will have nothing to do with #SuperFatastic, and people need to let it go.
