The Fantastic Four: First Steps has been holding strong in theaters for almost two months now, pulling in over $500 million worldwide. It introduces Marvel's new first family to the MCU without feeling like a copy-paste job, and sets the table for bigger things like Avengers: Doomsday. Naturally, the next question is: when can you watch it at home?
So, when is it streaming?
Short answer: not officially dated yet. But the tea leaves are easy enough to read if you follow Disney's recent patterns.
Digital retailers like Apple TV, Fandango at Home, and Prime Video usually get new studio films for PVOD around 45 to 60 days after theatrical release. First Steps has already crossed the 45-day mark, though it has not hit 60 yet. Translation: a home-release announcement should be coming soon.
The most useful comparison is Marvel's last movie, Thunderbolts*. That one hit theaters at the start of May, moved to PVOD at the start of July (roughly two months later), and then landed on Disney+ at the end of August (almost another two months after that). If Disney applies that same math here, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which opened on July 25, would go digital near the end of September. A Tuesday is the expected drop day; September 23 is 59 days after release, which makes it a pretty safe guess. The one wrinkle: none of the digital stores have it up for pre-order yet, which could nudge things a bit later.
After its run on the digital storefronts, Disney+ is next. According to ScreenRant's tracking, Thunderbolts* took 117 days to hit Disney+, while Captain America: Brave New World took 103 days. Either timeline points to a November Disney+ debut for First Steps. That timing also makes sense for the post-dinner family movie slot. Because the movie is performing well with both critics and audiences, Disney could decide to hold it a little longer, but the back half of November is still the reasonable window to circle.
- Theatrical release: July 25
- PVOD estimate: late September (September 23 is the 59-day mark, if the Thunderbolts* pattern repeats; lack of pre-orders could push slightly)
- Disney+ estimate: November (roughly 103–117 days after theatrical, based on recent Marvel titles)
Why people are sticking with this one
First Steps isn’t just riding MCU momentum. It actually feels like its own movie, which helps explain the legs. It is one of Marvel's strongest post-Endgame entries, with a Certified Fresh badge and scores to match: 87% from critics and 91% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. It is also, remarkably, the first Fantastic Four movie to land a positive Rotten Tomatoes score. The vibe is distinct, the characters are easy to love, and the response backs that up.
How it sets up the bigger picture
Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach headline as Marvel's new team: Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, and the Thing, with Doctor Doom in the mix too. If you follow the MCU long-term, this one matters. These characters are expected to be key players in Avengers: Doomsday, with Mister Fantastic potentially leading the Avengers alongside his teammates and Doctor Doom positioned as the big bad. Vanessa Kirby has also said her role in Avengers: Doomsday will look different than in First Steps — a nice tease that Marvel is not just running it back.
The bottom line
If you are waiting for at-home viewing, the inside-baseball window math points to PVOD in late September and Disney+ in November. Not instant, but not far off — and given the movie's reception and its MCU importance, the wait should pay off.