Stubs - The Fantastic Four: First Steps

The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, Julia Garner, Sarah Niles, Mark Gatiss, Natasha Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser, Ralph Ineson Directed by Matt Shakman. Screenplay by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, Ian Springer. Based on The Fantastic Four comic book created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Produced by Kevin Fiege. Run time: 115 minutes. Color. USA. Action, Sci-Fi, Superheroes, MCU

Every ten years, we get a new Fantastic Four. The first was 2005’s Fantastic Four directed by Tim Story, (which had a sequel in 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer); was rebooted in 2015 as Fantastic Four aka Fant4stic directed by Josh Trank. Now, in the summer of 2025, we get The Fantastic Four: First Steps, directed by Matt Shakman. The good news is that it is better than its predecessors, but that is a low bar.

In development since 2019, the new Fantastic Four, like Superman, feels a bit like a sequel. We don’t need to know origin stories anymore apparently. We’re told in a short video exposition, that’s supposed to be part of a TV special about the four years prior to the start of our film, when the four: Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm / Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Ben Grimm / The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Johnny Storm / Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), acquired their superpowers, came back to Earth 828, and fought villains like Mole Man (Paul Walter Hauser). As part of the fantasy, they also managed to have all the countries in the world give up their military; maybe on Earth 828 that’s possible.

The Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) heralds the end of Earth 828.

The Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) returns as the herald for Galactus (Ralph Ineson), who plans, for whatever reason, to devour the Earth. With no possibility to avoid it, the Fantastic Four take off to negotiate with him but what he wants is a show-stopper, the as-of-yet unborn child of Mr. Fantastic and Sue Storm. Despite the fact that would save the world, the Fantastics aren’t willing to make that trade, which is unpopular with the masses upon their return to Earth.

From l to r: Ben Grimm / The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), Johnny Storm / Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), and Sue Storm / Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby) with baby.

The baby is born on a second space trip, which also doesn’t end well. The Fantastic Four manage to escape, but Galactus is still coming. Mr. Fantastic comes up with a workaround solution, teleport the Earth somewhere Galactus can’t find them. (Of course that would work.) Surprise, the entire world agrees to this, but before he can flick the switch, the Silver Surfer returns and destroys all but one of the bridges necessary. The only one left just happens to be the one in Times Square.

This sets up the final confrontation, which I’ll leave for you to watch on your own.

Unlike the previous outings, this Fantastic Four seems to work more as a cohesive group and for a change The Human Torch isn’t presented as a jerk. The main cast is handled well by Pascal, Kirby, Moss-Bachrach, and Quinn. Each character is given some depth, including focusing from time to time on The Thing and The Human Torch, who could easily fall into supporting characters otherwise. While the actors are in a comic book-based movie, they don’t act cartoony. They appear to be a good team and will, of course, return in a future Avengers film. This is obvious to anyone who stays through the credits. I was surprised that there were people in the audience who left before this reveal; never leave a Marvel movie until the lights come on or you will miss out.

The film has a future look through a late 50s/early 60’s lens, much like Marvel’s new Cinerama Dome-inspired logo. Even the most advanced technology looks like it was designed while Eisenhower was still in office. But one gets the idea that there is only one smart guy left on Earth, Mr. Fantastic, as never is anyone else consulted about anything, though The Human Torch proves a help with translating transmissions from the cosmos.

This latest version of The Fantastic Four is the best one yet, showing that Marvel can still make good movies. Is it good enough to get me back on the MCU train, that still remains to be seen. This is also an MCU film that can stand on its own, even though it is obviously planned to be part of the new phase of films. But here’s hoping in ten years, this will part of a series of films that have a payoff and not about to be rebooted again.