Superhero films ignite rivalry among Marvel and DC comic fans

By Danielle Broadway and Rollo Ross

SAN DIEGO, July 23 (Reuters) - Comic fans are embracing the latest showdown between Marvel and DC as their superhero films "Fantastic Four" and "Superman" compete for box office dominance, reigniting a rivalry spanning over eight decades.

Whether it's the thrill of seeing the comic book superhero The Thing shout "It's clobbering time!" before throwing a punch or watching Superman and his faithful pup Krypto save the day, fans are heading to movie theaters to support their favorite films.

"Well, clearly I'm a Marvel fan," said Danielle Stroski, who was dressed as the shapeshifter character Mystique from Marvel's X-Men comics, at the San Diego Comic-Con.

"But I have a little white dog at home, so I love me some 'Superman' as well. And I know the little white dog is stealing the show for 'Superman,' so it's going to be close. But I got to go Marvel," she added.

The 42-year-old from California predicted "Fantastic Four" would outperform "Superman" at the box office.

DC fan Lito Loza, dressed as Superboy, voiced his support for "Superman." "I've already seen 'Superman' three times, and I'm very, very happy with what James Gunn did with it. It makes me feel hopeful," he said, referring to the director.

The filmmakers encourage fans to support both movies.

"I'm a huge Superman fan. I'm a huge James Gunn fan. I'm thrilled that both of us are coming out this month," director Matt Shakman of "Fantastic Four: First Steps" told Reuters at the London premiere.

"I think we share a lot of similar optimism in our tone and our feeling in the worlds that we're building. And there's room for 'Superman,' there's room for 'Fantastic Four.' I'm thrilled. Go see both," he added.

"Superman" director Gunn, who directed the Marvel movie "Guardians of the Galaxy," said in an interview in Los Angeles that he grew up reading both Marvel and DC comic books, appreciating their distinct tones.

In theaters on July 11, "Superman" introduced David Corenswet as the Man of Steel. The movie grossed around $173 million globally and $264 million domestically for a total of around $437 million, according to Box Office Mojo.

Warner Bros <WBD.O> has heavily invested in "Superman," aiming to launch a new era at DC Studios under Gunn, who has been named co-CEO, alongside producer Peter Safran. Upcoming projects include a Supergirl film slated for June 2026 and a film based on the character Swamp Thing, as well as TV shows for HBO Max.

Disney <DIS.N> said on Saturday that by the end of Friday, "Fantastic Four," which stars Pedro Pascal, had earned an estimated $106.2 million globally, including $57 million domestically and $49.2 million internationally.