The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Image credit: Disney

Leaving the shores of black and white for a jaunt into the more modern age, this weekend saw me diving back into the MCU with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. I’ll admit there was some trepidation, after all there hasn’t yet been a Fantastic Four movie that has been particularly good: the one from the Naughties I recall with a bit of embarrassed nostalgia and honestly, I never bothered seeing the remake in the 2010s. But of course, there have been too many hints that the cosmic-hero quartet were muscling into the MCU, so I had to go see it. I’m glad to say that I was pleased with the experience.

Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Susan and Johnny Storm have been the protectors of the world since venturing to space and coming back with superpowers. Now they are about to voyage to a whole new frontier: parenthood. Shortly after announcing Sue and Reed’s pregnancy, a mysterious silver surfer comes to Earth heralding its destruction. The four heroes suit up and follow the herald into space where they discover a monstrous, consuming entity named Galactus, who agrees to spare their world in exchange for Reed and Sue’s baby.

What’s nice about Fantastic Four: First Steps is that it works as another standalone Marvel movie. Despite taking place within the multiverse, no prior knowledge of the various other universes and timelines is really required. Like the later Thor movies or Multiverse of Madness, First Steps is another enjoyable genre piece, paying homage to the comics’ Silver Age in the 1960s. Set in a campy, retro, yet somehow also space age NY, it’s got the feel of a classic ‘60s sitcom or cartoon – the predominant vibe is The Jetsons -  with a refreshing edge of not being over dramatized.

Where a slight bit of discombobulation comes in is from the scenes that take place in outer space, in which the modern computer wizards have free reign to remind us that this is an MCU movie. The special effects of Galactus and Shalla-Bal are visually very impressive and the battle sequences that take place both in space and NY are reminiscent of The Avengers, Thor, or Guardians of the Galaxy. But the jarring contrast between the ’60s futuristic sets and the great beyond is fleeting and doesn’t really dampen any of the fun cinematic experience of the film.

Image credit: Space

With great performances, funky set designs, and classic Marvel special effects, Fantastic Four: First Steps is a fun instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Director: Matt Shakman, 2025

Cast: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, Ralph Ineson, Julia Garner, Mark Gatiss, Sarah Niles, Matthew Wood, Paul Walter Hauser & Natasha Lyonne