Fantastic Four has a somewhat chequered history as an MCU franchise, often not getting the hype it deserves. This is perhaps all about to change though with a new installment set to be released.
The remake is a retro-futuristic 60s inspired film starring Vanessa Kirby, Pedro Pascal, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn in the lead roles. Pascal and Kirby will play husband-and-wife Reed Richardson and Sue Storm - or as they’re known by their superhero alter-egos, Mr Fantastic and The Invisible Woman. Quinn meanwhile is playing Sue’s younger brother, The Human Torch, and Moss-Bachrach takes on the role of Ben Grimm aka The Thing.
Hollywood icon John Malkovich has also been confirmed, as has Julia Garner who will be taking on the role of nemesis Shalla-Bal, a variant of the Silver Surfer. Malkovich's role remains undisclosed for now. And, to top it all off, Robert Downey Jr is rumoured to be appearing as Doctor Doom in an epic Avengers crossover, although this is only a speculation at the moment.
Marvel first dropped the trailer for Fantastic Four: First Steps in February 2025, which gained more than 200 million viewers in the first 24 hours according to The Hollywood Reporter.
What do we know so far?
The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be released in cinemas on Friday 25th July 2025, so there’s really not long to wait. Its release date has been subject to change thanks to Covid-19 causing issues with scheduling although 25th July seems to be locked in as its launch date. With this release date, it will be launching just two weeks after James Gunn’s highly-anticipated Superman reboot.
Also, it won’t be long until the core four will be on screen once more as, thanks to Marvel’s teaser trailer, we know they will be reprising their roles in Avengers: Doomsday - set to be released in May 2026.
What was the new teaser?
A clip from the film was released on X yesterday, in a first snippet from the movie itself (aside from the trailer). In the four-second clip, Johnny Storm (Quinn), is eating from a bowl of cereal, and sees Sue and Reed walk in, telling them "you're late." He then clarifies that they're late for dinner. The reaction from the duo would suggest they're late in another way...
Thanks to an early screening at CinemaCon, it has been confirmed that Kirby’s character, Sue Storm, is in fact pregnant in the film. Fans have been speculating that this clip is taken from the scene where Sue and Reed break the news to Johnny. Marvel has confirmed that Fantastic Four are Marvel's first on-screen family.
pic.twitter.com/sVUMCUFdm0
— Fantastic Four (@FantasticFour) April 13, 2025
Will the film follow the Marvel comics?
In the comics, the pair’s two children go on to have powers themselves; Franklin, their son, is a powerful mutant, and daughter Valeria takes after her father - a genius who later develops an interesting connection with Doctor Doom.
Will Sue Storm give birth by the end of the film? We don’t know yet, but it wouldn’t be surprising…
Disney recently announced the official synopsis: "Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel's First Family... as they face their most daunting challenge yet.
"Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer. And if Galactus' plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren't bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal."
First Steps will see the first proper attempt at a live action Galactus, voiced by Ralph Ineson. Galactus has never officially appeared in a live-action film - they featured in the 2007 movie Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer but only as a puff of space dust. He is glimpsed in the trailer and seems very comic accurate unlike the previous smokey interpretation.
Main image credit: Marvel Studios
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