‘Fantastic Four’ Tops Box Office in Marvel Franchise Reset

The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the first picture in a new phase of superhero movies from Marvel Studios, opened as the No. 1 film in US and Canadian theaters, delivering weekend ticket sales of $117.6 million.

Adapted from the 1960s comic books of the same name, Fantastic Four stars Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby as superheroes seeking to prevent Galactus from destroying Earth. The picture, which has a retro look, scored strongly with critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Industry tracker Boxoffice Pro had forecast sales of $115 million to $135 million.