Summary
Marvel Studios really needsThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsto hit in a big way this summer. If first impressions of the film are to be believed, things are looking up for the struggling Marvel Cinematic Universe.
2025 has not been a, well, fantastic year for theMarvel Cinematic Universe.Captain America: Brave New Worldwasmet with a collective shrugwhen it was released in February, despite having the star power of Harrison Ford in tow.Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man,Daredevil: Born Again, andIronheartall performed relatively well with critics, but none of the shows managed to capture the audience of earlier MCU series likeWandaVision.Thunderbolts*proved to be the best-reviewed Marvel Studios film in years, but it ended up bringing in even less money thanCaptain America: Brave New Worlddid. DC Studios’Supermanhas kicked off the new MCU-rivaling DC Universe in style, meaning Marvel has to get their act together and get it together quickly. Their big bet to do so? Bringing in their resident First Family to save the day.
First reactions toThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsare rolling in on social media, and those who have been lucky enough to see the film certainly seem to be enjoying what the superhero family is bringing to the table.Writer/comedian Chris Killian claimsthe movie “friggin' rocks” and that it “feels like Jack Kirby’s imagination brought to life on the big screen.“Entertainment journalist Brandon Davis wrote thatthe film “is visually one of the best things Marvel has ever made” and that “[p]arts feel likeInterstellar& demand IMAX.“Next Best Picture’s Matt Neglia said, “The four main cast members are excellent, Michael Giacchino’s lively score is instantly memorable, and the ‘60s retro-futuristic production design & dynamic visual effects are a delightful treat rather than an eyesore.“All in all, a pretty positive reception forFirst Steps, it seems.
Early Reactions ToThe Fantastic Four: First StepsSeem Extremely Positive
What Will Audiences Have To Say, Though?
Hollywood has been trying to getthe Fantastic Fourright on the big screen for years, with little success to show for it. Ignoring the shelved 1990s adaptation from Roger Corman of all people, 2005’sFantastic Fourwas the first attempt at bringing Marvel’s First Family to the multiplex. It was a different era for superhero filmmaking, but even judging by the standards of the time, it wasn’t too hot a film. It did earn enough money to get a so-so sequel in 2007’sFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, though.
WhenRise of the Silver Surfercame and went without much fanfare, 20th Century Fox went back to the drawing board, and what came next was Josh Trank’sinfamously troubled 2015 filmFantastic Four. Even with a talented cast of Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara, and Jamie Bell, thisFantastic Fourtanked so hard, it lost around $100 million for the studio and stopped the franchise before it got started. Now, ten years later, Marvel Studios is hoping they’re the ones to finally get this thing right.
The Fantastic Four have beenmajor players in Marvel Comicssince 1961, and Marvel Studios is hoping that they can parley the group’s massive fanbase into helping the MCU get back on track. Whatever happens with the MCU postAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Wars, the Fantastic Four are sure to play a big role. For people to care about that future,The Fantastic Four: First Stepsneeds to be a hit with audiences and critics alike. We’re just a week away from finding out if the FF are finally Hollywood darlings or if they’re seemingly doomed to never have a successful transition to the big screen.
The Fantastic Four: First Stepsreleases in theatres on July 28, 2025.
Source: x/@BrandonDavidBD, x/@chriskillian, x/@BrianLongFilms
