The Fantastic Four: First Steps vs. Superman – Which summer superhero movie was your favorite?

It’s a summer of superheroes, and it’s never felt better to be a fan of this genre than it does right now. The Fantastic Four: First Steps finally debuted on July 24, and Superman was released back on July 8, so the battle over the big screen is officially brewing.

Since The Fantastic Four: First Steps is part of Marvel and Superman is with DC, plus both films were released in the same month, there’s a bit of a rivalry happening here. With two massive, fresh takes on iconic superhero names, I want to know which one you ultimately prefer. There’s plenty to love about each, so it’s a tough call, but I’m curious which movie ultimately had a bigger impact on you.

First up, let’s talk about Superman since it was released first. It received very positive reviews and has generally been viewed as a wonderful fresh start for the new DCU under James Gunn’s direction. Truthfully, I didn’t really care much about Superman before this film, but he’s now one of my favorite characters solely because of how good this movie is.

Superman is wildly colorful, chaotic, and charming. The cast is top notch, with heroes you fall in love with and villains you hate but can’t wait to see more of. It’s perhaps the most comic book-feeling superhero film I’ve ever seen, and this makes it a huge win. Superman is not only the fresh start the DCU needed, but also a film we all needed, as the overarching messages centered around empathy and hope are incredibly timely.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps finally does this iconic team justice. Every member of the team is cast to perfection and has their moment to shine. Relationships and family are the central focus throughout, and they bring so much heart to this movie. It’s visually stunning, chaotic yet grounded, and deeply moving from start to finish.

With both films, you’re kind of thrown right into the middle of the action and already established world, and it works so well. I’m a big fan of the whole “in media res” approach, as it makes the characters and the world around them much more compelling.

These movies ooze personality, with distinctive looks that are unlike anything else I’ve seen in the superhero movie genre. They build captivating worlds complete with rich characters that feel real and relatable.

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about either of these films since I saw them, and I’m already heading back to the theater to see The Fantastic Four: First Steps again later today. I did the same for Superman, too, and I’m not usually someone who rewatches movies so soon after seeing them, so this is a testament to how great they are.

The Fantastic Four have always been one of my favorite teams, so seeing them finally get the adaptation they deserve with The Fantastic Four: First Steps is so exciting. Superman took a character I was pretty indifferent towards and turned him into one of my favorites and someone I can’t wait to see more of. Both films excelled at what they set out to do and far surpassed my very high expectations.

I genuinely don’t know which of the two films I like more. They’re both in my top 10 superhero movies of all time, and I think it’ll take a decent number of rewatches for me to decide which one I prefer. Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to pick because of how superb and unique both films are, and I’m okay with that because it means we’ve gotten not just one but two phenomenal hero films in a row. I’d even argue we actually got three in a row, as Thunderbolts was also incredible.

So, Destructoid, what do you think? Did you enjoy The Fantastic Four: First Steps or Superman more, are they equal in your eyes, or do you have a different opinion altogether? Let us know down in the comments so we can discuss these truly super films and try to decide which one we think is ultimately more fantastic.