Marvel Releases ‘Fantastic First Look’ Featurette for ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’

Marvel Studios is finally introducing the Fantastic Four into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and fans got a good look at the movie thanks to a new behind-the-scenes video called Fantastic First Look.

In this featurette, director Matt Shakman and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige shared what it took to bring Marvel’s first superhero team to the big screen. The film, titled The Fantastic Four: First Steps, will hit theaters on July 25, 2025.

Unlike previous versions, this movie doesn’t retell the origin story. Instead, it starts with the team already working together. The story takes place in a cool, retro-futuristic world inspired by the 1960s, mixing that old-school vibe with sci-fi elements. The team includes Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm.

Pedro Pascal plays Reed Richards, also called Mister Fantastic. Shakman and the actors described Reed as the smartest guy on Earth. Pascal said the thing that really interested him about the character was his intelligence. “It was always the way he thinks that mattered to me,” Pascal said during the featurette.

Vanessa Kirby takes on the role of Sue Storm, who can turn invisible and make force fields. She’s Reed’s wife and Johnny’s sister, and in this movie, she’s pregnant. Kirby talked about wanting to show many sides of Sue. “I didn’t want her to be just a mother figure. There’s power in all parts of her, even the darker ones,” she explained. Matt Shakman called Sue “the most emotionally intelligent person in the movie.”

Joseph Quinn plays Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, who can fly and control fire. Quinn said he wanted Johnny to feel more grown-up this time. “He still has his humor, but he’s more aware of how he affects people,” Quinn said.

Ben Grimm, known as The Thing, is played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach. The character is a big guy covered in rock-like skin. Moss-Bachrach performed the role using motion capture. He said The Thing’s loyalty reminded him of a character he once played. “His loyalty is what really stood out to me,” Moss-Bachrach shared.

The villains in this movie are massive cosmic threats. The team faces Galactus, a giant space god who wants to eat the Earth. Ralph Ineson plays Galactus and explained that his character isn’t truly evil. “Galactus isn’t really evil. He’s more like a cosmic force that just exists to do what he does,” Ineson said. Galactus’s right-hand is the Silver Surfer, played by Julia Garner, who brought the character to life using motion capture.

The movie also features well-known actors like Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, and Sarah Niles. Matthew Wood voices the helpful robot H.E.R.B.I.E., and a baby actor plays Reed and Sue’s son, Franklin Richards. Mark Gatiss is also in the film, along with some other surprise cameos.

There’s a rumor that Robert Downey Jr. might show up as Doctor Doom in a post-credits scene, but Shakman clarified, “Doctor Doom is not a part of this film.”

The Fantastic First Look featurette includes actual footage from the movie, shots of the sets, and shows stunts done mostly without CGI. It looks like Marvel is working hard to make this film feel new and exciting, even though the Fantastic Four have been around for a long time.

Before Marvel took over, the rights to the Fantastic Four were owned by 20th Century Fox. Fox tried to reboot the team in 2015, but the film didn’t do well. When Disney bought Fox in 2019, Marvel Studios got control of the characters and quickly started planning a new movie.

Now with a fresh cast and a story that jumps right into the action without going over the usual origin story, The Fantastic Four: First Steps looks like it will give fans a new and exciting take on Marvel’s First Family.

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