Marvel Studios finally caught a break — and it came wrapped in unstable molecules. Fantastic Four: First Steps has burst into theaters like Johnny Storm after his third espresso, delivering a fiery $118 million domestic debut and a total of $218 million globally.

Yes, Marvel’s first family has returned to the big screen — and this time, they’re not being babysat by Fox. Directed by Matt Shakman (WandaVision), this new iteration of Fantastic Four is Marvel Studios’ first proper attempt at making Reed Richards and his chaotic clan cool again. And judging by the ticket sales, fans were more than ready to forget… well, every other Fantastic Four movie.

The box office performance is a much-needed super-stretch for Kevin Feige, who’s been sweating more than Ben Grimm in a sauna after a rocky phase of MCU misfires. Besides the foul-mouthed miracle that was Deadpool & Wolverine, Marvel’s recent projects have been about as stable as Reed’s multiverse theories.

Now, with $100 million coming from overseas audiences (who apparently also enjoy watching elastic men and invisible women save the world), Marvel might just be reclaiming its superhero swagger. And get this — it’s nearly on par with DC’s recent Superman reboot ($220M global debut), which is impressive considering Superman has literally had 80 years of free PR.

Fans flocked to see Joseph Quinn light it up as Johnny Storm, while whispers of actual character development may have lured back even the most MCU-fatigued viewers.

So what’s next? With this rocket-fueled launch, Marvel’s first family may finally get the franchise they deserve — assuming Doctor Doom doesn’t steal the spotlight in the sequel.

Stay tuned.