The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) [+]
Aug 13 2025
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a reboot movie, though this time as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At the beginning it says that this is Earth-828 which as the movie shows is a variant based on 1960's aesthetics, fashion and social mores but with modern technology (and super-science in the case of Mr Fantastic's inventions). No other super-heroes are shown and it seems like the FF are that Earth's only super-heroes.
Via a talk show intro video we see that is three years after the accident that created the FF and they are well-established heroes by now having fought various villains including Harvey Elder and his Mole Men. Reed Richards aka Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal) and his wife Sue Storm aka Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby) lead the team, Ben Grimm aka The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) is the team brick, and Sue's brother Johnny Storm aka Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) is the flying blaster.
Big subplot is Sue becomes pregnant (with Franklin). Reed sort of panics as he prepares to be a father. Meanwhile Johnny wants updated space suits so he can flame on in space. Ben has a run-in with school teacher Rachel Rozman (Natasha Lyonne) who may be a love interest in the future (but not this movie). There's also a teleportation experiment Reed is working on which works on an egg but drains New York's power for a few seconds.
And then arrives this alien being from space. Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) — though I don't think they name her other than her real name of Shalla-Bal and maybe they don't do that for the FF either — here to herald the coming of Galactus (Ralph Ineson). The FF use their space rocket plus a warp drive attachment to travel to where Galactus is, confront him, and lose. Turns out though Galactus is willing to spare Earth if the FF give up Franklin (who is born on the way back). Galactus senses has the potential to replace him (which I think he wants so he finally rest) so it's not like he wants to kill Franklin.
Back on Earth Reed is too truthful to reporters so now everyone on Earth knows the FF can't save them but sacrificing a baby will. As the world turns against the FF they have to find a way to defeat Galactus…
I found this movie quite good. I'd already seen a trailer so the retro-future look was not a surprise and reminiscent of when the FF debuted (1961) and the old cartoons I saw as a kid. I love that this film has Herbie the robot (non-speaking CGI so no credits) and a version of the Fantastic-Car which even split apart at the end (though I didn't notice since it's the end of the film).
Better than I expected mostly because previous FF films were good to not good. This one is borderline great and fits into the MCU. Also nice that it's set in its own Earth so doesn't have the kind of history that Captain America: Brave New World or Thunderbolts did (both really good MCU movies released this year).
Via a talk show intro video we see that is three years after the accident that created the FF and they are well-established heroes by now having fought various villains including Harvey Elder and his Mole Men. Reed Richards aka Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal) and his wife Sue Storm aka Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby) lead the team, Ben Grimm aka The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) is the team brick, and Sue's brother Johnny Storm aka Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) is the flying blaster.
Big subplot is Sue becomes pregnant (with Franklin). Reed sort of panics as he prepares to be a father. Meanwhile Johnny wants updated space suits so he can flame on in space. Ben has a run-in with school teacher Rachel Rozman (Natasha Lyonne) who may be a love interest in the future (but not this movie). There's also a teleportation experiment Reed is working on which works on an egg but drains New York's power for a few seconds.
And then arrives this alien being from space. Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) — though I don't think they name her other than her real name of Shalla-Bal and maybe they don't do that for the FF either — here to herald the coming of Galactus (Ralph Ineson). The FF use their space rocket plus a warp drive attachment to travel to where Galactus is, confront him, and lose. Turns out though Galactus is willing to spare Earth if the FF give up Franklin (who is born on the way back). Galactus senses has the potential to replace him (which I think he wants so he finally rest) so it's not like he wants to kill Franklin.
Back on Earth Reed is too truthful to reporters so now everyone on Earth knows the FF can't save them but sacrificing a baby will. As the world turns against the FF they have to find a way to defeat Galactus…
I found this movie quite good. I'd already seen a trailer so the retro-future look was not a surprise and reminiscent of when the FF debuted (1961) and the old cartoons I saw as a kid. I love that this film has Herbie the robot (non-speaking CGI so no credits) and a version of the Fantastic-Car which even split apart at the end (though I didn't notice since it's the end of the film).
Better than I expected mostly because previous FF films were good to not good. This one is borderline great and fits into the MCU. Also nice that it's set in its own Earth so doesn't have the kind of history that Captain America: Brave New World or Thunderbolts did (both really good MCU movies released this year).