Marvel’s first family is caught in a cosmic storm of controversy! The highly anticipated Fantastic Four: First Steps, released on July 25, 2025, was supposed to herald a triumphant new era for the MCU, but instead, it’s crashed and burned, leaving fans reeling and the original 2005 Fantastic Four cast—Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffudd, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis—publicly pleading with Disney to erase their own films from existence. Labeled a $250 million embarrassment, the reboot’s failure has reignited debate over the franchise’s cursed cinematic history, with social media ablaze and the old cast’s surprising comeback stealing the spotlight. From Pedro Pascal’s polarizing performance to a bizarre “baby bargain” plotline, the new Fantastic Four has become a lightning rod for criticism, raising questions about Marvel’s future. Buckle up as we dive into the drama, the fallout, and why the 2005 cast wants their movie scrubbed from the record!

A Reboot That Crashed on Impact

Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps, directed by Matt Shakman and starring Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, was billed as the MCU’s big swing to integrate Marvel’s First Family into its Multiverse Saga. Set in the 1960s as a period piece, the film promised a fresh take on the iconic team, facing off against Ralph Ineson’s Galactus and a gender-swapped Silver Surfer, played by Julia Garner. With a reported $250 million budget, expectations were sky-high, fueled by Marvel’s need to rebound from recent flops like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels.

Instead, the film tanked, grossing just $180 million worldwide against its massive budget, making it one of the MCU’s biggest financial disasters. Critics savaged it, with a 32% Rotten Tomatoes score citing a “convoluted plot” and “tonal whiplash,” while audiences gave it a lukewarm 65% Popcornmeter rating. Leaked test screenings revealed walkouts, with fans slamming a bizarre subplot involving Galactus demanding a “baby bargain” to spare Earth, which one X user called “the weirdest superhero plot since Morbius.” The backlash was immediate, with hashtags like #FantasticFlop and #SaveTheMCU trending as fans decried the film’s departure from the comics and Pascal’s “stiff” portrayal of Reed Richards.

The Old Cast’s Plea: “Erase Our Movie!”

The reboot’s failure has unexpectedly thrust the 2005 Fantastic Four cast—Jessica Alba (Sue Storm), Ioan Gruffudd (Reed Richards), Chris Evans (Johnny Storm), and Michael Chiklis (Ben Grimm)—back into the spotlight. Directed by Tim Story, the 2005 film and its 2007 sequel, Rise of the Silver Surfer, were once panned as “vapid” and “childish,” earning $330 million and $289 million respectively but failing to capture the comics’ cosmic grandeur. Now, in a twist of irony, fans are rallying behind the 2005 cast, praising their chemistry and fidelity to the source material compared to the 2025 reboot’s missteps.

In a series of candid interviews in August 2025, the original cast made headlines by urging Disney to “erase” their films from the MCU canon. Jessica Alba, now a successful entrepreneur, told Variety, “If this reboot is what the Fantastic Four is now, I’d rather our movies just disappear. We poured our hearts into them, but they deserve better.” Ioan Gruffudd echoed her sentiment on a podcast, saying, “The new film makes ours look like a masterpiece. Disney should just wipe the slate clean.” Chris Evans, who later became Captain America, took a cheeky jab on X, posting, “Guess Johnny Storm was too hot for 2025. Burn that reboot and ours too!” Michael Chiklis, whose portrayal of The Thing remains a fan favorite, added, “We tried to honor the comics. This new one feels like a betrayal.”

The cast’s plea stems from embarrassment over the reboot’s failure amplifying scrutiny of their own films, which, while flawed, are now seen as charmingly earnest. Fans on Reddit have launched petitions to “decannonize” both the 2005 films and the 2015 Fant4stic flop, with one user writing, “The old cast deserves better than being tied to this mess.” The 2015 film, directed by Josh Trank and starring Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, and Jamie Bell, was already a notorious disaster, with Trank himself disowning it and joking about funding a GoFundMe to erase it. The 2025 reboot’s failure has only deepened the franchise’s cursed reputation.

Why the Reboot Flopped

The Fantastic Four: First Steps was meant to be a cornerstone of Marvel’s Phase 6, setting up Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027). Instead, it stumbled out of the gate. Key controversies include:

Pedro Pascal’s Casting: Pascal’s portrayal of Reed Richards drew mixed reactions, with critics calling it “awkward” and fans arguing he lacked the nerdy gravitas of Mr. Fantastic. “Pedro’s great, but he’s no Reed,” one X user posted.

Gender-Swapped Silver Surfer: Julia Garner’s casting as Shalla-Bal, a female Silver Surfer, sparked backlash from purists who wanted Norrin Radd. The change, meant to modernize the character, was seen as pandering, with one Reddit thread calling it “Disney’s woke agenda gone wrong.”

Bizarre Plot Choices: The “baby bargain” with Galactus, where the team negotiates Earth’s fate by offering a future child, baffled audiences. “It’s like they forgot what the Fantastic Four is about,” a fan tweeted.

Tonal Missteps: The 1960s setting aimed for retro charm but clashed with the film’s heavy CGI and modern dialogue, leaving it neither campy nor epic.

The reboot’s failure has been compounded by Marvel’s broader struggles. The MCU’s Multiverse Saga has faced criticism for inconsistent storytelling, with films like Eternals and Ironheart underperforming. Disney CEO Bob Iger’s directive to limit MCU releases to focus on quality hasn’t stemmed the tide of fan discontent, with Fantastic Four’s flop raising fears about the franchise’s future.

The Old Cast’s Redemption Arc

The 2005 Fantastic Four films, once dismissed as lightweight, are experiencing a nostalgic revival. Fans praise Michael Chiklis’ heartfelt portrayal of The Thing, Chris Evans’ cocky charm as Johnny Storm, and the cast’s genuine camaraderie. Jessica Alba’s Sue Storm, though criticized at the time for lacking depth, is now lauded for capturing the character’s nurturing strength. Ioan Gruffudd’s Reed, while stiff, is seen as closer to the comics’ scientist-hero than Pascal’s take. “The 2005 movies weren’t perfect, but they felt like the Fantastic Four,” one Reddit user wrote, contrasting them with the reboot’s “soulless” vibe.

The cast’s public disavowal of their films is both a plea to protect their legacy and a jab at Disney’s mishandling. Alba, who faced typecasting after the films, has been particularly vocal, with fans rallying around her as a symbol of the franchise’s better days. Evans’ playful comments, leveraging his MCU clout as Captain America, have amplified the narrative, with one X post joking, “Chris Evans just ended the new Fantastic Four with one tweet.” The cast’s call to “erase” their films is less about shame and more about distancing themselves from the reboot’s embarrassment, with Chiklis noting, “We’d rather be forgotten than associated with this.”

Marvel’s Crisis and the Road Ahead

The Fantastic Four flop has sent shockwaves through Marvel Studios, with insiders claiming Kevin Feige’s “untouchable” reputation is under fire. The studio’s pivot to Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday suggests a reliance on nostalgia to salvage Phase 6, but fans are skeptical. “If they can’t get the Fantastic Four right, how will they handle Secret Wars?” one X user asked. Disney’s decision to streamline its slate, removing three “Untitled Marvel” projects, reflects a cautious approach, but the damage is done. The reboot’s failure has fueled talk of a “Marvel collapse,” with fans and analysts questioning whether the MCU can recapture its Avengers: Endgame glory.

For the 2005 cast, the reboot’s failure is bittersweet vindication. Their films, once mocked, are now seen as flawed but faithful attempts to honor Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s creation. The 1994 unreleased Corman film, the 2005 duology, and the 2015 Fant4stic all failed to capture the comics’ cosmic wonder, but the 2025 reboot’s disaster has cast them in a new light. “Jessica Alba and Chris Evans are the heroes we didn’t know we needed,” one fan tweeted, summing up the sentiment.

A Franchise in Flames

The Fantastic Four: First Steps debacle is more than a box office bomb—it’s a wake-up call for Marvel. The old cast’s plea to erase their films underscores the franchise’s troubled history, from the unreleased 1994 B-movie to the 2015 disaster and now this. As Disney scrambles to save face, fans are left wondering if Marvel’s First Family will ever get the film they deserve. Catch the 2005 Fantastic Four on Disney+ for a nostalgic revisit, and brace for Avengers: Doomsday in 2026, where the MCU’s future hangs in the balance. The cosmic storm is raging—will Marvel weather it, or is this the end of an era?