‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Test Footage Officially Released Featuring Ben Grimm in the Spotlight

The Fantastic Four: First Steps just hit theaters a few days ago, and things are already looking good for Marvel. The movie is doing great at the box office and critics seem to be loving it too. Fans are also happy, calling it a fun and fresh addition to the MCU.

The film features a new take on the famous superhero team. Pedro Pascal plays team leader Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby is Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn takes on Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach brings Ben Grimm (aka The Thing) to life.

The cast has been getting a lot of praise for their chemistry, and the story skips the usual origin setup, which many fans welcomed.

Before the movie was officially filmed, Marvel Studios shot some test footage as a proof of concept. One of those early scenes has just been released, and it gives fans a fun look at something that never made it into the final version.

In the clip, Ben Grimm appears on a fake dating reality show called Let’s Make a Match. While this scene didn’t end up in the movie, bits of it had been teased in earlier promotional content.

First deleted scene from ‘THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS’ featuring The Thing on a dating show. pic.twitter.com/CuwvVAjGVU

— Cosmic Marvel (@cosmic_marvel) July 27, 2025

The final film doesn’t spend much time on Ben’s love life, but it does hint at something developing. He meets Rachel Rozman, played by Natasha Lyonne, and the two share a real connection.

It’s clear from the way the story plays out that Rachel could be important in future films. Their scenes together suggest there’s more coming for these two.

The movie had its world premiere on July 21, 2025, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles and was released in the U.S. on July 25. It’s the first movie in Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and has already earned over $218 million globally.

Reviewers have praised the 1960s setting, the team’s strong dynamic, and how the story wastes no time getting into the action.

Set in 1960 on Earth-828, the movie starts with the team gaining their powers during a space mission after being exposed to cosmic rays. Four years later, they’ve become famous and are known as Earth’s protectors.

At a family dinner, Reed and Sue announce they’re having a baby. Not long after, the Silver Surfer shows up to warn Earth that Galactus, a planet-eating cosmic being, is on the way. The team decides to head back into space in hopes of saving the planet.

Marvel has already confirmed that a sequel is in the works, with news about it first surfacing in June 2025. With the way First Steps ends, it’s clear this story is far from over. The Fantastic Four are back, and their next chapter is just getting started.

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