Marvel’s ‘Fantastic Four’ Early Reactions Praise Cast and Visuals: “Pedro IS Reed” and CGI Called “Phenomenal”
The early reactions for Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps are here, and things are looking great for the new film. People who’ve seen the final cut are sharing very positive comments online. According to several insiders, including a friend of someone working in distribution, the movie is making a strong first impression.
One of the first reactions came from a distribution insider who saw the movie before its release. They said he loved it and described it as “completely self-contained in its own universe.” They also pointed out that the opening ten minutes will make comic book fans happy, saying they’ll have “a huge smile on their faces.”
Speaking about the cast, they said they were all great, and when talking about Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, they mentioned that their friend “reluctantly admitted Pedro IS Reed.” The film also features two post-credits scenes, giving fans even more to look forward to.
Industry insider @ViewerAnon also shared that after following up with more people who’ve seen the movie, the feedback is consistent. Everyone seems to enjoy it, including people who aren’t regular fans of comic book movies. As @RMBee said, “everybody seems to really like it.”
So I've followed up on this and heard back from a couple people who've also seen the final cut of FANTASTIC FOUR and yeah, heard pretty much the same thing as @RMBee. Everybody seems to really like it! Notably even those that aren't big comic book fans. https://t.co/yzc2xKqLUt
— ViewerAnon (@ViewerAnon) July 18, 2025
Here’s some examples of positive reviews dropping:
The latest early reactions echo what we’ve heard recently after another test screening was held.
Early viewers are giving special attention to Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm. While they aren’t the focus of the story, people say they stand out early in the film. Their scenes in the first half hour are getting praised for impressive CGI, with one early viewer calling the effects “phenomenal.”
The movie’s setting also caught people’s attention. It’s set in a retro-futuristic world inspired by the 1960s, helping it look and feel different from other Marvel films. Unlike past versions, this Fantastic Four movie doesn’t waste time with an origin story. Instead, the team is already formed when the story begins, jumping straight into action as they face Galactus. Played by Ralph Ineson, Galactus is a huge cosmic being that eats planets, which sets up the movie’s main conflict.
The main cast includes Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm, and Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards. The movie is directed by Matt Shakman, with the script written by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer. Production finished at the end of 2024, with most of the filming happening in England and Spain.
The movie is set to premiere on July 21, just before the official release. It will be available in IMAX, ScreenX, and 4DX formats. It’s also important because it will start Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel has already started working on a sequel, showing confidence in this new version of the Fantastic Four.
With early reviews this positive, fans of Marvel’s first family don’t have much longer to wait to see what’s next.
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