Final Trailer for ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Drops, Revealing Fresh Looks at the Team and Their Cosmic Foes
Marvel Studios is gearing up to release their new Fantastic Four movie, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, hitting theaters on July 25, 2025. This film is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is the 37th movie in the series.
It’s also the second time the studio is rebooting the Fantastic Four story. The movie is directed by Matt Shakman and written by Josh Friedman and Eric Pearson. The main cast includes Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn.
The story takes place in a world inspired by the 1960s with a retro-futuristic feel. The Fantastic Four have to defend their world against Galactus, a massive cosmic being who eats planets. Ralph Ineson plays Galactus in the film.
Before Marvel took over, 20th Century Fox had been trying to reboot the Fantastic Four after their 2015 movie didn’t perform well. When Disney bought Fox in 2019, Marvel Studios gained the rights to the characters and announced a new film soon after.
The studio released the final trailer for the movie today, and it offers the best look yet at fans fans can expect:
In ONE MONTH, Marvel Studios’ #TheFantasticFour: First Steps arrives in theaters July 25.
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) June 25, 2025
Watch the new trailer and get tickets now: https://t.co/qy8qR71712 pic.twitter.com/I8FCk6kxNF
Jon Watts was first announced as the director but left in 2022. Matt Shakman took over later that year. The script was rewritten several times, and filming happened in England and Spain between July and November 2024.
One key difference with this movie is that it skips the usual origin story of the Fantastic Four. The director, Matt Shakman, described Reed Richards, also known as Mister Fantastic, as “the most scientifically intelligent person on the planet,” comparing him to Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein. Pedro Pascal, who plays Reed, said he focused on the character’s brainpower more than his physical abilities.
Vanessa Kirby plays Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman, who is Reed’s pregnant wife and Johnny Storm’s sister. Sue leads a group called the Future Foundation, which has brought peace to the world. Shakman called her “the most emotionally intelligent person” on the planet. Kirby said she wanted to mix different comic book versions of Sue, including a darker side called “Malice,” to avoid making her just a typical mom figure.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays Ben Grimm, also known as The Thing, a tough character with rock-like skin. He performed the role using motion capture technology, similar to how Mark Ruffalo plays the Hulk. Moss-Bachrach said he saw similarities between The Thing and a character he played on a TV show, especially in terms of loyalty and family values.
Joseph Quinn is Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, who can fly and control fire. Quinn wanted his version to be more aware of how his actions affect others, while still keeping the character’s humor and bravado.
Other important roles include John Malkovich and Julia Garner. Garner plays the Silver Surfer, Galactus’s herald, using motion capture. She described the character’s movements as “elegant, like a dance.”
Ralph Ineson’s Galactus is described as a “humongous, 14-billion-year-old, planet-devouring cosmic vampire.” Ineson said he doesn’t see Galactus as evil, but more like a god doing what he naturally does.
The movie also features the robot H.E.R.B.I.E., voiced by Matthew Wood, who assists Reed Richards. Reed and Sue’s newborn son, Franklin Richards, is played by an infant actor. Other actors like Mark Gatiss, Sarah Niles, and Natasha Lyonne appear in the film. There are rumors that Robert Downey Jr. might show up as Doctor Doom in a post-credits scene, but director Shakman said Doctor Doom is “not a part of [his] film.”
This new take on the Fantastic Four promises a fresh perspective on the superhero team, set in a colorful world inspired by the 1960s and filled with large cosmic threats. The cast and crew are clearly excited to bring something new to the MCU without rehashing the usual origin story.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!