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

By Blair Marnell and Dan Girolamo Updated July 30, 2025

It’s not a coincidence that one of the first Marvel movies announced after Disney purchased 20th Century Fox’s entertainment assets in 2019 was a new reboot of The Fantastic Four. In 1961, Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby launched the Marvel Universe as we know it with Fantastic Four #1, and it was the comic that set the tone for everything that came after.

Because the rights to the Fantastic Four were tied up at Fox for the better part of two decades, FF supporting players like the Silver Surfer and Galactus were withheld from the MCU. With the characters firmly under their control, Marvel Studios was able to go above and beyond in bringing the Fantastic Four and their comic book world to the big screen. And we’re here to share everything we now know about The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

After a very long casting process, Marvel Studios revealed the primary actors in The Fantastic Four. The Mandalorian and The Last of Us‘ Pedro Pascal would headline the film as Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic, the leader of the Fantastic Four, whose powers allow him to stretch his body into almost any shape and size. He is also a genius on par with or even higher than Tony Stark.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning‘s Vanessa Kirby was cast as Susan Storm, aka Invisible Woman. Her codename actually undersells her power because Susan isn’t just limited to turning invisible. She can turn anything else invisible and create invisible objects around her that can be used as weapons or shields. Susan’s role in the comic was originally the damsel in distress before she was re-envisioned as a powerful heroine in her own right. In almost every incarnation of the team, she is either Reed’s girlfriend or his wife. However, she plays a central role in the film as the protective mother of Franklin and the heart of the Fantastic Four.

Stranger Things‘ Joseph Quinn plays Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, a role  recently played in film by Michael B. Jordan and Chris Evans. Given that pedigree, Quinn had a lot to live up to. Johnny’s powers give him complete control over fire, and they also allow him to fly.

Finally, Ebon Moss-Bachrach played Ben Grimm, aka the Thing. Unlike the other members of the team, Ben’s powers create a physical mutation that makes him look like a rock monster. That power also gives Ben incredible physical strength, nearly on the level of the Hulk. Moss-Bachrach previously portrayed Micro/David Lieberman in Marvel’s Netflix TV series, The Punisher.

The Fantastic Four’s robot helper, H.E.R.B.I.E., was featured in the film and voiced by Matthew Wood. The Humanoid Experimental Robot, B-type, Integrated Electronics was created for the 1978 Fantastic Four animated series in place of the Human Torch. H.E.R.B.I.E. was later integrated into the comics.

Meanwhile, Sherlock actor Mark Gatiss plays Ted Gilbert, the host of a popular talk show that recaps the origins and history of the Fantastic Four. F1 actor Sarah Niles portrays Lynne Nichols, a friend of Susan’s and the Chief of Staff at the Fantastic Four’s organization, the Future Foundation.

Ozark‘s Julia Garner was also cast in The Fantastic Four as Earth-828’s version of the Silver Surfer. In a departure from comic book canon, the film’s Silver Surfer will not be a man named Norrin Radd from Zenn-La. However, her backstory is very similar to the original’s, having volunteered to become Galactus’s herald to have him spare her world from destruction.

Deadline reported on May 2 that Richard Jewell star Paul Walter Hauser signed on to The Fantastic Four, with his role eventually revealed to be the team’s first villain, the Mole Man, who rules the underground region of Subterranea.

Additionally, Deadline revealed on May 9 that John Malkovich landed a mystery role in the film. It was later confirmed that Malkovich was cast as the villain Red Ghost, a Soviet scientist who leads a band of “Super-Apes.” Though Malkovich was cut from the film, Mister Fantastic is seen fighting one of Red Ghost’s apes in the movie’s opening. This wouldn’t have been Malkovich’s first comic book movie. He previously had a supporting role in Red and its sequel, which were based on a comic of the same name. He was also supposedly Sam Raimi’s top choice to play the Vulture in the abandoned Spider-Man 4 movie.

Deadline confirmed that Ralph Ineson would play Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds. Ineson has actually appeared once before in the MCU as a Ravager pilot in Guardians of the Galaxy. But this is a much bigger role, literally. Galactus’ comic book counterpart is a massive, cosmic deity who appears different to each race that beholds him. While he acts as a villain, Galactus is also presented as a universal force of nature driven only by his hunger for planets, as their energy is needed to sustain his existence.

Via Deadline, Natasha Lyonne has been cast in an undisclosed role. This turned out to be Ben Grimm’s love interest, Rachel Rozman, a character made specifically for the film. Lyonne is best known for starring in Poker Face for Peacock and Russian Doll for Netflix.

Presenting Victor Von Doom.

Robert Downey Jr. stars in Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday, in 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 back in the MCU, but this time, he’s playing Victor Von Doom, aka Doctor Doom. As the villainous Doom, Downey will headline 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. Marvel is now positioning Downey’s Doom as the MCU’s big villain going forward, replacing the recently fired Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror.

Wherever the Fantastic Four go, Victor Von Doom is sure to follow. Doom has been featured in every single Fantastic Four movie to date. The villain does appear in the mid-credits scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, setting up a huge stage for the events of Doomsday.

If you’re a fan of mainstream geeky pop culture, there’s a good chance Matt Shakman was involved — the rising director sits down with @jacobkleinman to talk #Godzilla, his new @appletv MonsterVerse show, the #MCU, and more. https://t.co/klnYAvnBnr pic.twitter.com/azMXEUOjbm

— Inverse (@inversedotcom) November 8, 2023

Matt Shakman directed The Fantastic Four on a screenplay by Josh Friedman, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer. Shakman is best known for executive producing and directing all nine episodes of the Disney+ series, WandaVision. Shakman’s directorial credits include one episode of The Consultant and two episodes of . In an interview with Inverse, Shakman explained how he used the comics, not the previous film adaptations, as his source of inspiration for The Fantastic Four.

“I’m not so much looking at the other movies,” Shakman said. “I’m looking at the comics themselves. I’m a huge comic book fan. I’ve been a big fan of the Fantastic Four since I was a kid. So going back to Kirby and Lee and Byrne and following all the way up to what’s happening, certainly, Hickman and Waid and Ryan North, what he’s been doing. I’m trying to figure out who these characters are to me and how to bring them to life in the best possible way, and that’s really where I’ve started and how we’ve approached it.”

Jon Watts, the director of the MCU’s first Spider-Man trilogy, was originally attached to direct The Fantastic Four. However, Watts exited the project in April 2022, citing a need for a break from the superhero genre.

Marvel recently shared a picture of editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski, senior editor Tom Brevoort, and Marvel executive David Bogart alongside several comic creators who have previously worked on the Fantastic Four comic from a recent set visit. Alan Davis, Chip Zdarsky, Dan Slott, Mark Bagley, Matt Fraction, Ryan North, Sara Pichelli, and Tom DeFalco all made the trip to England and appeared in the photo below alongside cast members Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby.

Fantastic Four comics creatives past and present took their first steps on the set of Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four: First Steps for a special 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 the comic-book-inspired Fantastic Four space suits in the background near the top right. The location of the photo also appears to be specific to the film, but we can only speculate how it fits into the plot.

Set in a retrofuturistic 1960s, the film takes place four years after the Fantastic Four were exposed to cosmic rays during their space mission, giving them their powers. The team has since become a global peacekeeping force beloved by just about everyone.

The film begins with Susan becoming pregnant with Reed’s child, Franklin. As the Fantastic Four prepare for the birth of this new member of their family, the Silver Surfer appears to herald the planet’s impending doom by Galactus. When the Fantastic Four go to space to reason with Galactus, the latter demands that the team give up baby Franklin, who has dormant powers that can satisfy his endless hunger, or let the Earth be destroyed.

While Feige confirmed on the Official Marvel Podcast that The Fantastic Four would be set in the ’60s, but not in the MCU that we know. Instead of Earth-616, the movie takes place on an alternate world not previously seen: Earth-828 (a designation referencing Fantastic Four co-creator Jack Kirby’s birth date).

Yes, at least in Marvel’s comic book universe. So far, their connection has been downplayed or ignored in the MCU. Kang’s real name in the comics is Nathaniel Richards, which tends to confuse casual fans because that’s also Reed’s father’s name. The older Nathaniel Richards is a time-traveling scientist and explorer who is the common ancestor of both Reed and Kang.

Years after Reed was born, Nathaniel met a woman named Cassandra, who lived in one of Earth’s alternate timelines, and he had children with her. Kang’s familial link to Nathaniel is through his union with Cassandra, who gave birth to his direct ancestor.

However, in the MCU, the character and his variants have mainly been referred to as Kang, He Who Remains, or Victor Timely. There is no reference to Kang in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Since Doom will be the main villain of the next Avengers film instead of him, it’s unclear if the villain will reappear after First Steps, even though Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania teased the infinite Council of Kangs preparing for war against the Multiverse.

As of July 29, Box Office Mojo reports that The Fantastic Four: First Steps has made over $216 million worldwide, surpassing expectations. On its domestic opening, the film made over $117.6 million in theaters. Variety stated that the film also made $24.4 million in Thursday Night previews. This turnout surpassed Superman and its $22.5 million, giving it the most profitable Thursday night preview of any film in 2025.

Marvel’s superhero film has been deemed “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes, receiving an 87% rating from 335 critics and a 93% rating from audiences. Digital Trends has reviewed The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and with 4 out of 5 stars, the movie is a guaranteed must-see summer blockbuster for audiences.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be another significant test of whether the MCU brand can make a full comeback after Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Captain America: Brave New World, and The Marvels disappointed at all levels. Though the previous Marvel film, Thunderbolts*, was well received, it didn’t gross as much as the studio had hoped. However, since The Fantastic Four has performed well so far, both critically and commercially, it seems the movie has broken audience’s exhaustion.

During an interview with EW, Joseph Quinn was asked whether the film can overcome superhero fatigue. And he assured fans that the creative team wanted to get everything right.

“I think that with the story of the Fantastic Four, it feels like we want to get this right,” Quinn said. “There are aspects of it that are very different to other Marvel films. That felt very compelling to me. And again, going back to who’s involved, Matt, of course, the director, I think is brilliant, and the cast, and I’ve read it and the script is brilliant. It’s really brilliant. I’m delighted to have this opportunity.”

“Superhero movies are movies about people,” Quinn continued. “And if we’re invested in the people and the characters and the peril and the spectacle, then that’s why people go to the theaters to watch films. We’re not just in a penny; we’re in for a pound with this one. We’re going to go for it.”

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige opens up about the upcoming ‘Fantastic Four’ movie, teasing it as a ‘big pillar’ of the MCU’s future plans. https://t.co/nCWujPfjTQ

— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) February 15, 2023

Without Iron Man or Captain America, Marvel needs new leaders. Could the members of the Fantastic Four be the new torchbearers of the MCU? According to Feige, Marvel has big plans for the Fantastic Four.  “We plan on that [The Fantastic Four] being a big pillar of the MCU going forward, just the way they’ve been in the comics for 50 or 60 years,” Feige told EW.