Marvel's upcoming "The Fantastic Four" movie faces a task none of its predecessors have succeeded with — getting the Richards family right on the big screen. This is the MCU's first take on the family, so maybe it has a chance.
There is a lot of mystery (and even more hype) surrounding what will happen in the movie. Some are speculating that Robert Downey Jr's Doctor Doom could be making an appearance (again, just rumors). Yes, that's right, Marvel announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2024 that Robert Downey Jr. would be returning to the MCU... as Victor von Doom. But back to "The Fantastic Four," it's possible that familiar faces might return, even for a cameo.
Also, the runtime for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" may have been revealed (no confirmation yet) — and it could be the longest Marvel movie since "Guardians of the Galaxy" Vol. 3 hit theaters in 2023. A listing on the Odeon Cinemas website suggests the movie will run for two hours and 20 minutes.
So will this movie be better than the other "Fantastic Four" movies that preceded it? Well, Disney's track record with Marvel movies is much stronger than any other studio's. Here's everything we know so far, including the release date, cast, plot, and more.
'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' release date
Currently, Disney has slated "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" for July 25, 2025.
It had most recently been slated for May 2, 2025, but Marvel swapped it with "Thunderbolts" when it announced the official casting of the Fantastic Four in the MCU.
Oh, and Marvel got sneaky and changed the name of the movie when they changed the release date. The previous working title for the movie was "Fantastic Four" but Marvel has now officially dubbed it "The Fantastic Four: First Steps."
'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' cast officially announced
Rumors about this movie's cast are rumors no more. Marvel made things official with the MCU's first family on Valentine's Day 2024, announcing the movie's main cast via Instagram.
As heavily rumored, and even leaked, Pedro Pascal of "The Last of Us" will indeed be starring as Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic. He'll be joined by Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, aka the Invisible Woman, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm, aka The Thing and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, aka The Human Torch.
For a while it was unknown who would voice the robot H.E.R.B.I.E. until just a few weeks ago, when Deadline reported that Matthew Wood is taking on the role. Wood has lent his voice to characters such as General Grievous in the "Star Wars" franchise. In addition to voice acting, his expertise in sound editing has earned him Academy Award nominations for films including "There Will Be Blood," "WALL-E," and a few "Star Wars" projects.
Director Matt Shakman said in an interview with Empire: "He’s absolutely as important and as alive as any other member of the cast. He’s sometimes a slightly put-upon robot, but he is definitely a member of the family. He’s just so charming and adorable."
He added that the robot is "Reed’s right hand in the lab, capable of assisting him on any sort of experiment, always by his side whether in New York City or out in space. He’s charming, he’s funny — but he also will break your heart, which I hope is emblematic of the movie."
Moss-Bachrach has given us an update on one thing to expect though — or rather, what we can expect from his portrayal of the Thing. In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel on Jimmy Kimmel Live (h/t Variety), Moss-Bachrach confirmed that he won't be wearing a suit like Michael Chiklis did in the 2005 movie "Fantastic Four." Instead, he'll be using motion capture technology to portray the golem-like figure.
But that wasn't all he revealed. Apparently, at least he has been cast for his role in this upcoming Marvel since last summer. It's pretty remarkable that Marvel was able to keep this under wraps for as long as they did.
Deadline reported back in May 2024 that Julia Garner has been cast to play a female version of Silver Surfer. Not much is known about her exact role in the narrative, but Garner said that she'll be "playing a version of Shalla-Bal". In the Marvel Comics, Shalla-Bal is the love interest of Norrin Radd, who is the original Silver Surfer. Earth X, the limited comic book series, revealed that Shalla-Bal gained the same powers as Silver Surfer.
Deadline also reported around the same time that Paul Walter Hauser joined the cast of "Fantastic Four". Walter is most known for his breakout role in "Tanya", as well as "Richard Jewell" and "Cruella". For now, his role in the upcoming Marvel movie is being kept under wraps.
Hauser has only teased in an interview with Screen Rant: "I can’t say anything about the character I’m playing, but know that it is in the sort of lexicon and mythology of the Fantastic Four stories. And it's a very distinct character that I’m excited to play and I’m kind of mapping out what I’m doing with that right now.” Although, he did like someone's Instagram comment about potentially playing the Mole.
On May 10 2024, Hollywood Reporter revealed that Ralph Ineson has been cast as Galactus, the main antagonist in "Fantastic Four". His biography includes "Harry Potter" to the recent horror movie "The First Omen". Galactus is a cosmic entity who consumes planets to gain more power and sustain his life force.
In fact, we're starting to see more of Galactus in promotional materials. A new Snapple tie-in promotion has given Marvel fans their clearest look so far at Ralph Ineson's version of Galactus (h/t comicbookmovie.com).
Unlike earlier depictions in LEGO sets and Funko Pop figures, which didn’t quite reflect Ineson's likeness, this latest promotional artwork confirms that Galan of Taa-an will feature facial features clearly modeled after the actor:
John Malkovich will also be starring in the movie, but his role is currently unknown. Malkovich has recently appeared in “The New Look” on Apple TV Plus and the Netflix series “Ripley.” Even though his character is being kept under wraps, he could play Wizard (one of the group's oldest foes) or the Beyonder (an incredibly powerful supervillain). He was seen in the trailer with a gray beard and hair.
On May 15, Deadline reported that Natasha Lyonne has joined the cast of the Fantastic Four. Nothing is currently known about what character she will play and whether she has a big role in the movie.
Lyonne has been in movies like "Poker Face", "American Pie", and "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery", along with shows such as "Russian Doll" and "Orange Is the New Black".
Who will be working on 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps'
"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" is directed by Matt Shakman, best known for his work on "WandaVision." The screenplay was written by Josh Friedman, Cam Squires, and Eric Pearson.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige is producing the film, while acclaimed composer Michael Giacchino is scoring the soundtrack. Together, this creative team is bringing a retro-futuristic vision of Marvel’s First Family to life in the MCU.
It's been confirmed recently by LUX that Jess Hall will serve as the cinematographer on this upcoming Marvel movie. He is known for his work on "WandaVision", "Ghost in the Shell", and "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters". Hall's contribution to the movie's production ensures it has the best look, color, and lighting.
'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' plot
It's normal to assume that for the new generation of Marvel fans, we might expect an origin story of how the Fantastic Four gained their powers. However, Kevin Feige revealed to the Hollywood Reporter that this won't be the case: "A lot of people know this origin. A lot of people know the basics. How do we take that and bring something that they've never seen before? We've set a very high bar for ourselves with bringing that to the screen."
With Garner confirmed as a female Silver Surfer, we do know that she'll most likely play the villain in the movie. Silver Surfer agreed to become the official messenger of a powerful cosmic entity known as Galactus in hopes of saving his love interest and his planet. In return for great power, he had to find worlds that Galactus could feed on to please his quenchless appetite. Due to this storyline, it's possible that Doctor Doom and Galactus will join the MCU at some point.
As of April 26, a new character poster from Marvel Entertainment has teased the idea of an alternate universe even more. Check it out:
🔥🔥🔥🔥 #TheFantasticFour Celebrate 4-4 Day at: https://t.co/2y9vMDzco4 pic.twitter.com/jTIJTZU7TKApril 4, 2024
Again, this poster of Joseph Quinn's Human Torch has a retro 1960s vibe with the logo and bright colors. If you zoom in on the city below him, you'll notice that it doesn't look like Earth-616 (the most used universe in the MCU). This means we could see "Fantastic Four" in an alternate timeline, with the characters possibly joining Earth-616 at some point in Phase 6.
UPDATE (Thursday, June 27): Kevin Feige recently confirmed in an episode of The Official Marvel Podcast that "Fantastic Four" is a period piece set in the 1960s. He also teased that the movie will be set in an alternate universe to the main MCU. However, this doesn't mean that our regular superheroes won't show up for a sneaky cameo. Since we know the multiverse is very much real, the Fantastic Four could somehow end up traveling through space and time.
UPDATE (January 22, 2025): The official synopsis for Marvel's "Fantastic Four" movie was recently released, and it offers away some big hints about what to expect: "Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel's First Family – Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet.
"Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus' plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren't bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal."
'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' trailers and photos
Marvel dropped the first first trailer for the new "Fantastic Four" movie back in February, and it's safe to say it might just revive my excitement for the MCU.
This movie fully embraces a bold, retro-futuristic style straight out of the 1960s, instantly setting it apart from anything we've seen before. And if that wasn’t exciting enough, the team will be facing off against none other than Galactus (played by Ralph Ineson), with Julia Garner stepping into the role of the Silver Surfer.
One of the coolest things about this version is that it skips the typical origin story. Instead of watching them stumble through discovering their powers again, we’re diving straight into a world where they’re already seasoned heroes.
The trailer gives us a glimpse of their dynamic in action — Reed’s brilliant mind at work, Sue’s force fields in action, and Johnny quite literally lighting up the sky. It also hints at the struggles they’ll face in balancing their superhero responsibilities with their personal lives.
Visually, this trailer is turning heads with its vibrant, ‘60s-inspired aesthetic, reminiscent of Tomorrowland. It’s a dramatic shift from previous "Fantastic Four" adaptations, giving this reboot its own unique identity while showcasing Marvel’s evolving approach to storytelling. Honestly, it’s refreshing.
On April 18, 2025, we got another trailer that feels a lot like the first "Avengers." Right around the 50-second mark, we learn that Reed and Sue are expecting a child — big news for the team. It’s also the moment we get a proper taste of Joseph Quinn as the Human Torch, and honestly, he commands the screen. Based on this brief glimpse, his take on Johnny Storm looks like it’ll be a highlight when the movie lands in theaters.
Then, at about 1:15, the Silver Surfer makes their debut, signaling the arrival of Galactus, the world-devouring cosmic force. The trailer wraps up with a chilling shot of Galactus’ colossal boot, teasing the scale of the threat to come.
References to the Fantastic Four in the MCU so far
We're starting to see references to Marvel's first family in the MCU. For starters, a Kang the Conqueror (who also goes by the name Nathaniel Richards) variant named He Who Remains appeared in the Loki season 1 finale. Kang's long been a thorn in the Fantastic Four's side in the comics.
In that same episode, there may have been another reference to the Richards family, at least as one fan saw it. A close look at an outer-space scene may have revealed the Richards family's spaceship.
And of course, we saw John Krasinski as Mr. Fantastic in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" but that was a separate Earth and likely won't have further bearing on the MCU.
As of April 29, fans have been speculating that the Fantastic Four (2015 version) may have a cameo in "Deadpool & Wolverine" since Michael B. Jordan recently shared a trailer. Just to confirm, there have been no reports that any actor in the "Fantastic Four" franchise will appear in "Deadpool & Wolverine". However, with the MCU now focusing on the multiverse, it wouldn't be a surprise if any of the 2005 or 2015 "Fantastic Four" actors showed up.
This theory was correct because Johnny Storm/Human Torch (played by Chris Evans) appeared in "Deadpool & Wolverine," and it was a fun cameo indeed. Most fans thought he was an alternate version of Captain America, but turns out he was the iconic fiery character from "Fantastic Four."
The latest reference is a huge spoiler if you haven't seen "Thunderbolts" yet, so here's your final warning before you continue.
The post-credits scene in "Thunderbolts" introduces a pivotal development for the MCU. Following the rebranding of the Thunderbolts as the "New Avengers," the team detects an approaching spacecraft marked with a prominent "4" emblem — signaling the arrival of the Fantastic Four.
This spacecraft's emergence from an alternate reality into Earth-616 suggests that the Fantastic Four are entering the primary MCU timeline, possibly fleeing a cataclysmic event in their own universe or seeking assistance against a multiversal threat. This scene sets the stage for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" and their involvement in "Avengers: Doomsday" in 2026.
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