There have been three cinematic versions of The Fantastic Four, the first family of Marvel Comics. Each had their own flaws: the terrible 1994 Roger Corman version was barely a movie, the 2005 two-film reboot was too by-the-numbers, and Josh Trank’s darker 2015 iteration was damned through behind-the-scenes conflict.
It seems a major miracle that with The Fantastic Four: First Steps we finally get a movie that feels like these cosmic-powered heroes have leapt off the page and onto the screen. The key is that, while this is the first Fantastic Four that’s officially part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s a parallel universe. This is the perky “adventures in weird science” of the earliest comics. Writer/director Matt Shakman proved his talent with period details with the Disney+ WandaVision, and the New York of his Fantastic Four is one constructed with all the stylish wonders that the midcentury modern futurism and atomic age optimism promised. The core MCU has always contended with technology as a threat, but the New York of this Fantastic Four is one in which the future is now, and the Baxter Building is a shining beacon.
That sense of hope comes from Shakman’s four: Walking rock pile the Thing, Ben Grimm (The Bear’s Moss-Bachrach), as the friendly uncle; the Human Torch, Johnny Storm (Stranger Things’ Quinn), as the rebel with a cause; the Invisible Woman, Sue Richards (Kirby), as the true leader; and Reed Richards (Pascal) as the constant worrier whose true superpower is not his ability to stretch but his overactive big brain. They represent optimism, family, and feel like Jack Kirby’s art come to life. That said, Pascal never captures Reed’s academic detachment even if he brings the essential “hapless dad” energy that has become his signature in The Mandalorian and The Last of Us.
That dad energy is essential since First Steps slams straight into two of the biggest plots from the early history of the Fantastic Four: first, that Sue is pregnant with Franklin, who may or may not be a superpowered baby; and second, that immortal Devourer of Worlds Galactus (Ineson) has come to eat the Earth.
Shakman understands that what makes the Fantastic Four work is that sense of family: They may traverse the stars and beat down subterranean monsters, but they’re never late for Sunday dinner. Seeing Ben walk down Yancy Street or Reed scribbling on a chalkboard creates comic-accurate moments. Yet the story’s told in such an airless fashion that those details seem underserved. It should be a perfect note to have knuckleheaded Johnny help save the world by speaking from the heart to the Silver Surfer (Garner), the Herald of Galactus. After all, Johnny is supposed to be a ladies’ man, but the only women he’s ever seen with are Sue and Future Foundation head honcho Lynne Nichols (Niles), so it becomes a punchline without the setup. The Four’s humanity has always been as powerful as any fireball, and maybe there should have been more time for that.
At a time when everyone is complaining about superhero fatigue, it seems almost perverse to say that maybe the Fantastic Four should have had another film first. Instead, they rush to an ending that bolts them so neatly into the greater continuity. The first hour of First Steps feels less like a story and more like a montage, and Shakman has admitted that at least one character was completely excised after shooting. Rarely has the addition of characters to the MCU felt so much like adding a new component to the machine. The end result is that these four are only allowed to be fine, rather than fantastic, but at least they’re finally here.
This article appears in July 25 • 2025.
