Fantastic Four: First Steps: Everything you need to know about the MCU movie

It’s not a coincidence that 1 of nan first Marvel movies announced aft Disney purchased 20th Century Fox’s intermezo assets successful 2019 was a caller reboot of The Fantastic Four. In 1961, Stan Lee and creator Jack Kirby launched nan Marvel Universe arsenic we cognize it pinch Fantastic Four #1, and it was nan comic that group nan reside for everything that came after.

Because nan authorities to nan Fantastic Four were tied up astatine Fox for nan amended portion of 2 decades, FF supporting players for illustration Silver Surfer were withheld from nan MCU. Now that nan characters are firmly nether Marvel Studios’ control, nan sky’s nan limit for nan upcoming reboot. And we’re present to stock everything we cognize astir The Fantastic Four truthful far.

Who has been formed successful The Fantastic Four?

Marvel

After a very agelong casting process, Marvel Studios has revealed nan superior actors in The Fantastic Four. The Mandalorian and The Last of Us‘ Pedro Pascal will header nan movie arsenic Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic, nan leader of nan Fantastic Four whose powers let him to agelong his assemblage into almost immoderate style and size. He is besides a brilliant connected par pinch aliases moreover higher than Tony Stark.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning‘s Vanessa Kirby has been formed arsenic Susan Storm, aka Invisible Woman. Her codename really undersells her powerfulness because Susan isn’t conscionable constricted to turning invisible. She tin move thing other invisible and create invisible objects astir her that tin beryllium utilized arsenic weapons aliases shields. Susan’s domiciled successful nan comic was primitively nan damsel successful distress earlier she was re-envisioned arsenic a powerful heroine successful her ain right. In almost each incarnation of nan team, she is either Reed’s woman aliases his wife.

Stranger Things‘ Joseph Quinn is playing Johnny Storm, aka nan Human Torch, a domiciled astir precocious played by Michael B. Jordan and Chris Evans. Given that pedigree, Quinn has a batch to unrecorded up to. However, we precocious reviewed immoderate of Quinn’s movie and TV roles, which show that he isn’t constricted to playing characters for illustration Eddie Munson. Johnny’s powers springiness him complete power complete fire, and they besides let him to fly.

Finally, Ebon Moss-Bachrach is slated to play Benjamin Grimm, aka nan Thing. Unlike nan different members of nan team, Ben’s powers create a beingness mutation that makes him look for illustration a stone monster. That powerfulness besides gives Ben unthinkable beingness strength, astir connected nan level of nan Hulk. Moss-Bachrach antecedently portrayed Micro/David Lieberman successful Marvel’s Netflix TV series, The Punisher. He besides appeared in Andor play 1.

The small robot successful nan left-hand area suggests that H.E.R.B.I.E. will beryllium featured successful nan film. The Humanoid Experimental Robot, B-type, Integrated Electronics was created for nan 1978 Fantastic Four animated bid successful spot of nan Human Torch. And H.E.R.B.I.E. was later integrated into nan comics arsenic well.

Ozark‘s Julia Garner has besides been formed successful The Fantastic Four arsenic nan MCU’s Silver Surfer. In a departure from comic book canon, Silver Surfer will not beryllium a man named Norrin Radd from Zenn-La. Instead, Garner’s Silver Surfer will beryllium Norrin’s lover, Shalla-Bal. And since nan Silver Surfer is successful this movie, that gave fans nan confirmation that her master, Galactus, is coming arsenic well.

Bleecker Street

Deadline reported connected May 2 that Richard Jewell prima Paul Walter Hauser has besides signed connected to The Fantastic Four successful a enigma role. But if we had to guess, Hauser would beryllium a terrific prime to play nan team’s first villain: nan Mole Man. Given Hauser’s rising prima successful Hollywood, including roles successful The Naked Gun reboot and Inside Out 2, it doesn’t look apt that Marvel would motion him for a nondescript inheritance character. But we’ll conscionable person to hold until we perceive much specifications astir who he’s playing successful nan film.

Additionally, Deadline revealed connected May 9 that John Malkovich has landed a enigma domiciled successful nan film. This won’t beryllium Malkovich’s first comic book movie. He antecedently had a supporting domiciled successful Red and its sequel, which were based connected a comic of nan aforesaid name. Malkovich doesn’t return a batch of sci-fi adjacent roles, though he was supposedly Sam Raimi’s apical prime to play nan Vulture successful the abandoned Spider-Man 4 movie.

A24

Deadline has confirmed that Ralph Ineson will play nan superior villain, Galactus. Ineson has really appeared erstwhile earlier successful nan MCU arsenic a Ravager aviator successful Guardians of nan Galaxy. But this is simply a overmuch bigger role, literally. Galactus’ comic book counterpart is simply a monolithic humanoid. He only looks quality erstwhile viewed by existent humans. To nan different races successful nan universe, Galactus appears to beryllium 1 of their own.

Phillip Caruso / Peacock

Even aft Galactus was cast, The Fantastic Four is still adding performers. Via Deadline, Natasha Lyonne has been formed successful an undisclosed role. The absorbing point astir this casting prime is that there’s nary evident characteristic for Lyonne to play successful nan FF mythos. She’s astir 2 decades older than Alicia Masters, nan emotion liking of nan Thing.

And playing nan Fantastic Four’s robot receptionist, Roberta, seems for illustration a smaller domiciled than thing Lyonne would beryllium willing in. Lyonne is champion known for starring successful Poker Face for Peacock and Russian Doll for Netflix.

What is nan charismatic title of The Fantastic Four?

Just announced successful Hall H:
 
Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps originates accumulation connected Tuesday. Only successful theaters July 25, 2025. #SDCC pic.twitter.com/iPAlXlajnr

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) July 28, 2024

At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, Marvel President Kevin Feige announced nan charismatic title of nan film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The movie will beryllium a portion of Phase Six of nan MCU.

Who is directing and penning The Fantastic Four?

If you’re a instrumentality of mainstream geeky popular culture, there’s a bully chance Matt Shakman was progressive — nan rising head sits down pinch @jacobkleinman to talk #Godzilla, his caller @appletv MonsterVerse show, nan #MCU, and more. https://t.co/klnYAvnBnr pic.twitter.com/azMXEUOjbm

— Inverse (@inversedotcom) November 8, 2023

Matt Shakman is directing The Fantastic Four on a screenplay by Josh Friedman, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer. Shakman is champion known for executive producing and directing each 9 episodes of WandaVision. Shakman’s caller directorial credits see 1 section of The Consultant and 2 episodes of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. In an question and reply pinch Inverse, Shakman explained really he will usage nan comics, not nan erstwhile movie adaptations, arsenic his root of inspiration for The Fantastic Four.

“I’m not truthful overmuch looking astatine nan different movies,” Shakman said. “I’m looking astatine nan comics themselves. I’m a immense comic book fan. I’ve been a large instrumentality of nan Fantastic Four since I was a kid. So going backmost to Kirby and Lee and Byrne and pursuing each nan measurement up to what’s happening, certainly, Hickman and Waid and Ryan North, what he’s been doing. I’m trying to fig retired who these characters are to maine and really to bring them to life successful nan champion imaginable way, and that’s really wherever I’ve started and really we’ve approached it.”

Jon Watts, nan head of nan MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy, was primitively attached to nonstop The Fantastic Four. However, Watts exited nan task successful April 2022, citing a request for a break from nan superhero genre.

A glimpse from nan group of The Fantastic Four

Marvel precocious shared a image of editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski, elder editor Tom Brevoort, and Marvel executive David Bogart alongside respective comic creators who person antecedently worked connected nan Fantastic Four comic from a caller group visit. Alan Davis, Chip Zdarsky, Dan Slott, Mark Bagley, Matt Fraction, Ryan North, Sara Pichelli, and Tom DeFalco each made nan travel to England and appeared successful nan photograph beneath alongside formed members Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby.

Fantastic Four comics creatives past and coming took their first steps connected nan group of Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four: First Steps for a typical sneak peek at the production of the film!

Pictured: C.B. Cebulski, David Bogart, Tom Brevoort, Alan Davis, Heather Davis, Chip Zdarsky,… pic.twitter.com/2pnCJI7P8K

— Marvel Comics (@MarvelComicsHQ) October 19, 2024

Note nan comic-book inspired Fantastic Four abstraction suits successful nan inheritance adjacent nan apical right. The location of nan photograph besides appears to beryllium circumstantial to nan film, but we tin only estimate really it fits into nan plot.

What’s nan crippled of The Fantastic Four?

Because nan movie is successful specified an early stage, location are immoderate questions that we’re conscionable not going to beryllium capable to reply yet. This is 1 of them. Three of nan 4 erstwhile Fantastic Four movies person dealt pinch nan team’s root story. Feige has indicated that nan MCU’s reboot will travel nan illustration of nan astir caller Spider-Man trilogy by simply skipping nan root altogether.

There person been rumors that The Fantastic Four movie will beryllium group during nan ’60s, because nan promo creation has a throwback artistic and logo. That rumor has turned retired to beryllium existent according to Variety.

When does The Fantastic Four return place?

Feige confirmed connected the Official Marvel Podcast that The Fantastic Four will beryllium group successful nan ’60s, but not successful nan MCU that we know. Instead, it will beryllium connected an alternate world that we haven’t antecedently seen. Feige besides noted that fans had correctly guessed that nan skyline seen successful nan promo creation beneath doesn’t lucifer thing successful New York successful either our world aliases nan MCU.

Marvel Studios

“There was a cityscape successful nan area of that image and location was a batch of smart group who noticed that cityscape didn’t look precisely for illustration nan New York that we cognize and nan New York that existed successful nan 60s successful our world,” said Feige. “And those are smart observations, I’ll say.”

Who are nan villains successful The Fantastic Four?

The superior villain of nan movie is Galactus, a planet-eating alien who appears arsenic a elephantine humanoid. He was nan mostly unseen nemesis successful Fantastic Four: Rise of nan Silver Surfer, but comic book fans took rumor pinch Galactus’ depiction successful that movie arsenic a elephantine abstraction cloud. Thankfully, nan MCU reboot won’t make nan aforesaid mistake.

Presenting Victor Von Doom.

Robert Downey Jr. stars successful Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday, successful theaters May 2026. #SDCC pic.twitter.com/xWQx9owZjG

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) July 28, 2024

At San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel announced that Robert Downey Jr. is backmost successful nan MCU, but this time, he’s playing Victor Von Doom, aka Doctor Doom. As nan villainous Doom, Downey will header 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. Marvel is now positioning Downey’s Doom arsenic nan MCU’s large villain going forward, replacing nan precocious fired Jonathan Majors’ Kang nan Conqueror.

Wherever nan Fantastic Four go, Victor Von Doom is judge to follow. Doom has been featured successful each azygous Fantastic Four movie to date. Could Downey’s Doom show up in The Fantastic Four? While Galactus is being positioned arsenic nan film’s villain, Doom showing up successful immoderate capacity, peculiarly successful nan post-credits scene, is now a bully bet.

Is Kang related to Reed Richards?

Marvel Studios

Yes, astatine slightest successful Marvel’s comic book universe. Their relationship whitethorn beryllium downplayed aliases simply ignored successful nan MCU. Kang’s existent sanction is Nathaniel Richards, which tends to confuse casual fans because that’s besides Reed’s father’s name. The older Nathaniel Richards is simply a time-traveling intelligence and explorer who is nan communal ancestor of some Reed and Kang. Years aft Reed was born, Nathaniel met a female named Cassandra, who lived successful 1 of Earth’s alternate timelines, and he had children pinch her. Kang’s familial nexus to Nathaniel is done his national pinch Cassandra, who gave commencement to his nonstop ancestor.

That whitethorn beryllium a spot excessively overmuch for comic book movie fans to absorb. So, if location is simply a nexus to Kang and Reed successful nan MCU, it will apt beryllium simplified. Kang was besides 1 of nan first Fantastic Four villains during his clip arsenic Rama-Tut successful ancient Egypt.

Can The Fantastic Four flooded superhero fatigue?

While Deadpool and Wolverine is apt going to beryllium a hit, The Fantastic Four is going to beryllium 1 of nan large tests of whether nan MCU marque tin rebound aft Ant-Man and nan Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels disappointed astatine each levels. During an question and reply pinch EW, Joseph Quinn was asked astir whether nan movie tin flooded superhero fatigue. And he assured fans that nan imaginative squad wants to get everything right.

“I deliberation that pinch nan communicative of nan Fantastic Four, it feels for illustration we want to get this right,” Quinn said. “There are aspects of it that are very different to different Marvel films. That felt very compelling to me. And again, going backmost to who’s involved, Matt, of course, nan director, I deliberation is brilliant, and nan cast, and I’ve publication it and nan book is brilliant. It’s really brilliant. I’m delighted to person this opportunity.”

“Superhero movies are movies astir people,” Quinn continued. “And if we’re invested successful nan group and nan characters and nan peril and nan spectacle, past that’s why group spell to nan theaters to watch films. We’re not conscionable successful a penny; we’re successful for a lb pinch this one. We’re going to spell for it.”

The Fantastic Four will beryllium a ‘big pillar’ of nan MCU’s future

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige opens up astir nan upcoming 'Fantastic Four' movie, teasing it arsenic a 'big pillar' of nan MCU's early plans. https://t.co/nCWujPfjTQ

— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) February 15, 2023

Without Iron Man aliases Captain America, Marvel needs caller leaders. Could nan members of nan Fantastic Four beryllium nan caller torchbearers of nan MCU? According to Feige, Marvel has large plans for nan Fantastic Four.  “We scheme connected that [The Fantastic Four] being a large pillar of nan MCU going forward, conscionable nan measurement they’ve been successful nan comics for 50 aliases 60 years,” Feige told EW.

Is location a trailer for The Fantastic Four yet?

No, it’s acold excessively early for immoderate movie footage to beryllium trim together arsenic a trailer. Marvel typically likes to stock first looks astatine its films during large events for illustration D23 aliases San Diego Comic-Con, but it’s doubtful that a afloat trailer for The Fantastic Four will beryllium fresh for 2024 unless it’s saved a debut astatine December’s CCXP successful Brazil, which is emerging arsenic 1 of nan biggest comic conventions successful nan world.

If a CCXP premiere is out, past nan nationalist debut of The Fantastic Four‘s first trailer astir apt won’t travel until early 2025.

When will The Fantastic Four beryllium released?

Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four arrives successful theaters July 25, 2025. pic.twitter.com/JZGKJvimEn

— Fantastic Four (@FantasticFour) February 14, 2024

The Fantastic Four will deed theaters connected Friday, July 25, 2025.

Has The Fantastic Four begun filming?

Meet The Fantastic 4⃣!

Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps originates filming today. Only successful theaters July 25, 2025. #SDCC pic.twitter.com/Yue8MVqOZw

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) July 30, 2024

Yes! The Fantastic Four: First Steps began filming connected July 29 astatine London’s Pinewood Studios. This lines up pinch erstwhile reports that filming was expected to statesman successful summertime 2024, which puts this movie connected way to deed its 2025 merchandise date.

Pedro Pascal shares first photograph of The Fantastic Four cast

On July 25, Pasal posted an Instagram photograph of himself alongside his chap Fantastic Four members Kirby, Quinn, and Moss-Bachrach. Pascal besides included a photograph of Shakman successful nan slideshow.

“Our first mission,” Pascal wrote successful nan caption.

The Fantastic Four takes formation astatine San Diego Comic-Con

The Fantasticar takes formation successful Hall H#FantasticFour#SDCC pic.twitter.com/bmYMhQQi07

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) July 28, 2024

Pascal, Kirby, Kirby, Quinn, Moss-Bachrach, and Shakman took nan shape astatine San Diego Comic-Con 2024 during Marvel’s Hall H panel. The arena featured a virtual position of The Fantastic Four’s futuristic setting. Shakman teased really nan movie will showcase a retrofuturistic type of 1960s New York.

“More than conscionable nan ocular aesthetics, nan ’60s to maine is each astir optimism,” Shakman told nan crowd. “It’s astir looking to nan stars and dreaming astir walking into space. It’s astir really pinch nan correct bosom and nan correct mind, you tin do thing — which is what nan Fantastic Four is each about.”