Marvel’s Fantastic Four Get a Total Makeover for 2025!

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In just three months before its launch, Marvel Studios is ramping up promotions for “The Fantastic Four: First Footsteps“, as news emerges that the Fantastic Four characters are being revamped to appeal to today’s audiences.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the characters from Fantastic Four have appeared on screen four times if you count the original films and their reboots. Now, with the number four in mind, the MCU is planning to revamp these characters for a fourth time, aligning with Kevin Feige’s strategy for the post-“Endgame” era. Interestingly, there was also a Roger Corman film featuring Fantastic Four, which I’ve heard is quite good. I even had a chance to chat with a cinematographer who worked on that movie at Comic-Con.

Speculation points towards Vanessa Kirby’s character, Sue Storm, as the main star of “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.” This aligns with Marvel Studios’ pattern of female-focused films, as seen in productions like “Captain Marvel,” “Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” “Thor: Love and Thunder,” “The Marvels,” and the forthcoming “Thunderbolts.” This strategy has significantly contributed to Marvel’s success on Disney+ with shows like “WandaVision,” “Hawkeye,” “She-Hulk,” “Ms. Marvel,” and “Secret Invasion.

New images and a different take

In a promotional conversation with Entertainment Weekly, the actors from the movie “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” shared some insights. This discussion, featured in an article, unveiled fresh visuals and the unique approach that Marvel Cinematic Universe is adopting for the characters.

As a die-hard comic book fan, I can’t help but chuckle at the attempt to persuade us that Jonathan Hickman’s recent run on Fantastic Four matches the brilliance of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s original work. Frankly, it’s apples and oranges, if not entirely different galaxies. Marvel Studios, under Kevin Feige, has even instructed their creators to steer clear of these comics.

Interestingly, Hickman is the man Marvel Comics trusts to adapt properties for the MCU. In fact, a Marvel Comics executive recently confirmed that the comics now serve primarily as material for future film and animation development. This has been the case for quite some time.

Regarding the article discussing Marvel’s Cinematic Universe revamping the Fantastic Four for contemporary viewers, it appears that the main alterations are focusing on Sue Storm, also known as Invisible Woman, and her brother, Johnny Storm, who goes by The Human Torch.

New Human Torch for the Post-Endgame era

As for Joseph Quinn’s interpretation of the Human Torch, it appears that his take on the character will deviate significantly from that of Chris Evans. The article highlights that Chris Evans portrayed the character as a womanizer and rogue, but Quinn aims to offer a distinct approach.

He displays an overly confident demeanor at times, which can be offensive at times, but he’s also quite humorous,” Quinn points out. “When discussing past portrayals of him and the cultural context, I and Kevin Feige pondered. He was depicted as a womanizer with a reckless attitude in earlier versions, but is that appealing nowadays? I don’t believe so. This new interpretation of Johnny is more considerate towards others’ feelings, and hopefully there’s an element of self-awareness about his attention-seeking behavior.

Shakman remarks, “He’s incredibly intelligent.” He’s on that spaceship for a purpose, and I believe people often overlook this in different comics. In fact, he’s been one of the most valiant characters, despite his constant humor, which seems to undermine his heroism. Since they share the same family line, they are made of similar stuff, being Sue’s brother.

Invisible Woman no longer invisible

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Vanessa Kirby’s character, Sue Storm (also known as Invisible Woman), is being promoted to a level comparable to Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic). It’s even possible that Sue may surpass Reed in her role. This development aligns with the post-“Endgame” direction of the MCU and also reflects revisions made to the origin story of Sue and Reed in the comics, tailored for a contemporary audience.

1) In the political sphere, Sue has achieved equally impressive results, much like the character who leads the Future Foundation (a term borrowed from Jonathan Hickman’s modern Fantastic Four comics, one of the successors that enjoy as much fan affection as Lee and Kirby’s originals). Through her leadership, she has contributed significantly to global disarmament and peace. When Shakman and his team claim that the dreams of the ’60s have been brought to life in this film, they are not merely referring to space travel.

According to Shakman, “if he is the world’s foremost individual in terms of scientific intelligence, then she stands out as the leading figure when it comes to emotional intelligence.” He further adds that these two individuals are working together to create a utopian society.

Gender politics is a big theme

The article and Vanessa Kirby go into the notion of “gender politics”:

Achieving worldwide political harmony appears to be just slightly more complex than weaving together Sue Storm’s extended fictional background spanning decades. As Marvel Comics’ inaugural female superhero, she has been an integral member of the Fantastic Four since its inception – however, her initial nickname, “Invisible Girl,” was somewhat diminutive, and she was primarily known for her ability to become invisible and often found herself in distressing situations.

In simpler terms, Vanessa Kirby notes, “If a character like Sue from the ’60s appeared today, people might perceive her as too submissive. The challenge and pleasure of this role was understanding how to portray what she symbolized for each era, where the social views on gender were distinct, and bring that authenticity to life in modern times.

Does The Fantastic Four: First Steps sound boring?

The storyline of the movie revolves around the Fantastic Four residing in an alternate universe on Earth. They were already renowned figures before gaining superpowers, making their prestige even more elevated. Reed Richards and Sue Storm establish a perfect society on their Earth, creating a futuristic yet retro setting. This world is characterized by robots and flying vehicles, and everything appears harmonious.

Although it might become monotonous rather soon, let’s delve into what follows after we establish that the Silver Surfer (played by Julia Garner, in line with Feige’s post-Endgame strategy) and Galactus (portrayed by Ralph Ineson) are integral to this movie. Reed and Sue, renowned as the sharpest minds on their planet, tackle every challenge. However, it appears that Galactus is the one puzzle they can’t crack. So, what transpires next?

Marvel has also already confirmed the cast of Fantastic Four for Avengers: Doomsday.

Release info

The Fantastic Four: First Steps gets released on July 25, 2025, directed by Matt Shakman.

Who stars?

Actors such as Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ralph Ineson, Julia Garner, Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, and Sarah Niles make up the star-studded cast of this production.

Behind the movie

Kevin Feige serves as the main filmmaker for this project. Additionally, Louis D’Esposito, Grant Curtis, and Tim Lewis hold executive producer roles. Mitch Bell works alongside Feige in a co-producing capacity. Lastly, the music is composed by Michael Giacchino.

Plot

In a 1960s-inspired, futuristic setting with a retro flair, Marvel Studios’ ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ presents the audience with Marvel’s original family—Reed Richards (also known as Mister Fantastic), Sue Storm (the Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm (Human Torch), and Ben Grimm (The Thing). They confront their toughest predicament to date.

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2025-04-11 23:02