We’re less than a full week away from Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Marvel’s already gone and let early watchers give their thoughts on the film. That’s nothing terribly new, save for these thoughts come ahead of the film’s Hollywood premiere on Monday night, when they were originally meant to drop. But it’s not without reason, as the impressions are quite glowing, even moreso than last weekend’s Superman or Thunderbolts* from a few months ago. Check out the impressions from critics and influencers below.
#FantasticFour is a story about family above all else, where each member of the team is equally important. No one is underserved; the movie excels when fleshing out the various bonds between Pedro, Vanessa, Ebon, & Joseph.
The retro ’60s aesthetic works on all fronts. pic.twitter.com/S5QRfLNgnG
— Andrew J. Salazar (@AndrewJ626) July 19, 2025
Fantastic Four friggin’ rocks! More than any Marvel movie before it, F4 feels like Jack Kirby’s imagination brought to life on the big screen. Between this and Superman, 2025 might go down as the year movies finally embrace the wonderful weirdness of comic books. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/M2wS78HOic
— Chris Killian (@chriskillian) July 19, 2025
Many will say THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS is fantastic, and they’ll be right for several reasons. 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… pic.twitter.com/FttR5SioVe
— Matt Neglia (@NextBestPicture) July 19, 2025
I came in tempered but #FantasticFour is truly a return to form for the MCU, the opening minutes blew my socks off in IMAX. Gardner’s & Quinn’s work stood out to me the most. Galactus gives this film real stakes and his presence is felt even off screen, incredible miniature work! pic.twitter.com/eStc6TK0mp
— Brian (@BrianLongFilms) July 19, 2025
#FantasticFour is visually stunning, stylish, self-contained, and easy to jump into. I had such a good time with this one. The retrofuturism is such a snack. My stand out is Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm babe I will die for you, you are perfect. pic.twitter.com/RlRgk6U83U
— Ash Crossan (@AshCrossan) July 19, 2025
Directed by Matt Shakman, First Steps is the first Fantastic Four movie to come out in almost a full decade. From the initial cast reveal to its more recent promos, Marvel’s been hyping up this movie as something different from its usual fare. It’s not just a period piece set in an alt-universe 1960s, it’s also looking like more of a disaster epic as Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), the Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Thing (Ebon Moss-Bassrach) and the Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) work together to save their home from the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) and impending Galactus (Ralph Ineson). Like the New Avengers before them, the Four are already locked in for 2026 and 2027’s Avengers duology, and it sounds like they’ve already got a 2028 window locked down for their sequel.
We’ll see if Fantastic Four: First Steps lives up to these lofty words when it hits theaters next Friday, July 25. Look for io9’s review in the coming days.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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