The Fantastic Four: First Steps is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the Multiverse Saga, and here’s everything there is to know about this reboot. The more the MCU expands, the more opportunities emerge to bring more Marvel Comics characters to life, as well as to give a new chance to characters whose previous adaptations weren’t exactly a success. The Disney/Fox merge now gives Marvel the chance to use popular characters from Fox’s Marvel movies to make them part of the MCU timeline, and among them are The Fantastic Four.

The Fantastic Four got their first film adaptation in 1994, in a project that has become infamous as it was never released, and their proper big-screen debut didn’t happen until 2005. The team got the reboot treatment in 2015 in a movie simply titled Fantastic Four and directed by Josh Trank. Unfortunately, Fantastic Four was a massive critical and commercial failure, but the team is getting one more chance, now as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 6 slate, and here’s what’s known so far about the MCU Fantastic Four reboot.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Latest News

The First Official Trailer

Marvel Studios officially released the very first teaser trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, showing a bold new direction for the universe and highlighting the 1960s retrofuturistic setting of the film. Given the time period the film is set in, it all but confirms that The Fantastic Four: First Steps will take place on an alternate Earth, where the history is much different than the sacred timeline of the MCU.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer focuses on the various members of Marvel’s first family, with the Thing, Sue Storm, and Johnny all having moments in the trailer that show off their powers. Out of everyone, only Pedro Pascal’s Mr. Fantastic doesn’t use his powers at any time. Emphasizing the idea of them being a family, The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer is a strong look at a brand-new world that Marvel Studios looks to explore.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Release Date

A True Summer Blockbuster

The Fantastic Four movie is set to release July 25, 2025, putting it relatively squarely in the middle of the Multiverse Saga. This comes 6 years after the initial announcements for the MCU film, as The Fantastic Four were confirmed to arrive at the MCU in 2019, during Marvel’s panel at San Diego Comic-Con.

In December 2020, Jon Watts was announced as director, though in April 2022, he stepped down to take a break from directing superhero films after helming the MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy. During the 2022 D23 event, Matt Shakman was confirmed as the new director of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Cast

An Incredible Cast Of Characters

On February 14, 2024, Marvel confirmed its main Fantastic Four movie cast on X, showing a post with the caption, “Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn are The Fantastic Four.” The image shared alongside it confirms Pascal will be Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby will play Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn will play Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach will play Ben Grimm. These casting confirmations are sure to delight audiences, as each of these actors have been popular fancasts for the roles.

March 3, 2024, also saw the reveal that the Silver Surfer would be Shalla-Bal in the MCU, seemingly instead of Norrin Radd, who is traditionally the main Silver Surfer in the comics. This came alongside the news that Julia Garner will be playing Shalla-Bal – a decision that seems well-made given her performances in series like Ozark. Notably, this will not be the first time Garner has appeared in a comic book movie, as she also featured in Sin City: A Dame To Kill For as Marcie.

On May 2, it was announced that Paul Walter Hauser would play a hitherto undisclosed part in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Later, on May 9, John Malkovich and Ralph Ineson were also confirmed for the project. Malkovich’s role remains a mystery, but Ineson will play the iconic Fantastic Four villain, Galactus. The newest addition to The Fantastic Four cast is Natasha Lyonne. However, she continues the trend of undisclosed roles and is not yet tied to a character.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Trailer

A Strong Sense Of Setting

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a bold, new direction for Marvel Studios to take their property, especially given that it fully embraces the 1960s retrofuturistic setting to bring something aesthetically different to what audiences have come to expect with the MCU. There is a lot to be excited about when it comes to The Fantastic Four: First Steps and the first teaser trailer shows Marvel’s willingness to try something new, really trying to reach for the golden age feeling of Marvel’s First Family.

Though the trailer is not action-oriented at all, there was a brief glimpse of Galactus approaching New York City, confirming that he will finally look comic book accurate and his large size is on full display as he towers over the Statue of Liberty. Other than that, Silver Surfer is not shown at all and no hint at Doctor Doom being in the film is given. The teaser very much aimed for a certain type of feeling and emotion, and excels at having its setting and art direction stand-out.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Story Predictions

Galactus Is Coming

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed that the movie is a period piece in June 2024 on The Official Marvel Podcast, while also addressing the theory that the film takes place in an alternate universe, stating:

“Yes, yes, very much so. It is a period… There were a lot of smart people, who noticed that that cityscape didn’t look exactly like the New York that we know, or the New York that existed in the ’60s in our world. And those are smart observations, I’ll say.”

That also explains where Marvel’s First Family have been for the rest of the MCU, though the positioning of The Fantastic Four leading into the next Avengers event suggests that they may be brought to the present by a multiverse plot. Either way, a 1960s retro-futuristic vibe will provide a unique atmosphere for the MCU movie.

Based on the synopsis, the main conflict of The Fantastic Four: First Steps will revolve around Galactus attempting to devour their Earth with the Silver Surfer being one of his heralds. Galactus is a massive, cosmic entity that could possibly be a big bad for the MCU in the future, which means that his story might not end with The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

The last bit of the synopsis talking about it “getting very personal” lends credence to the idea that Doctor Doom could appear given his long-standing rivalry and history with Mr. Fantastic. With Avengers: Doomsday looming, it seems more likely than ever that the many rumors and theories pointing at The Fantastic Four: First Steps introducing the MCU’s version of Doctor Doom could become a reality, allowing The Fantastic Four to meet their comic nemesis in their cinematic universe debut.

Director Matt Shakman even mentioned in an interview with Collider that, “I have heard about it for a while, and I had to keep that secret for a while.” This would support the idea that Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom plays a role in some capacity within The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and that the film’s story may be used to set the stage for Avengers: Doomsday, which releases less than a year later.

With The Fantastic Four confirmed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, it would make sense to introduce the conflict between the hero group and the villain from the offset of their stories. Approaching things from this perspective can help the MCU to establish a dynamic that will surely play a vital role in the future of the Multiverse Saga.

Since Doom hasn’t had the same time to be set up as an antagonist due to Avengers: Doomsday originally being Avengers: The Kang Dynasty – and thus the Multiverse Saga previously revolving around Kang – this route allows a core arc based around key figures to emerge. Having The Fantastic Four: First Steps explain how much of a threat Doctor Doom is would work well to set him up as an imposing villain in a shorter amount of time, and a clash between Pedro Pascal’s Mr. Fantastic and Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom has inherent star power to draw fans in.

How The Fantastic Four: First Steps Fits Into The MCU Timeline

Set On A Different Earth

The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be the beginning of Phase 6 for the MCU, the last phase of the Multiverse Saga, as it leads up to Avengers: Doomsday and eventually Avengers: Secret Wars. The biggest aspect of the new film is how it seemingly does not fit within the established history of the sacred timeline in the MCU, as the movie takes place in a 1960s retrofuturistic setting. While the story might not have the biggest impact on the main MCU timeline, the idea of it being another Earth within the multiverse makes it incredibly compelling.

With The Fantastic Four having roles in Avengers: Doomsday and presumably Avengers: Secret Wars, it seems likely that the end of the film will somehow help lead into the fifth Avengers film, especially if Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom plays any type of role in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. No matter what, though, it will be interesting to see how Marvel Studios will be able to fold their First Family into the main MCU when the time comes.