Not even hours after the official trailer for the new Fantastic Four film dropped, Marvel delivered a taste of a comic book movie that reminds us all of what a superhero flick should be like. With its 1960s flavor and use of over-the-top visuals, only one word comes to mind: Fantastic!
Not since Tim Burton's Batman (1989) or Sam Raimi's Spider-Man series have we seen such a dedication to a superhero's source material. As the trailer clearly demonstrates, director Matt Shakman proves to viewers that any adaptation should be a comic book first and a movie second.
A fantastic first look
After oohing and ahhing at the new trailer released this morning, this Marvel aficionado took a second look at this new side of Marvel, and it's one that feels familiar yet desperately needed. As previous MCU entries left much to be desired (looking at you, The Marvels), a more accurate depiction of our favorite heroes is a breath of fresh air.
There is so much going on with this trailer, and MCU fans have more than a few reasons to rejoice. As much as we love seeing 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, the real sell is just how much this feels like a traditional comic-book movie.
We have the '60s setting marking the dawn of Marvel comics, the over-the-top designs that feel delectably unrealistic, and the looming threat of a galaxy-eating Galactus ready to fight the Four. It's all a return to form that (at least in this writer's opinion) feels long overdue.
There was a time when Marvel movies felt like comic books come to life, just look at the original Iron Man (2008) or The Avengers (2012). However, something happened as the Multiverse expanded ever onward.
Supersuits began looking like tactical armor, weapons and machinery too heavy, and the whole vibe of many MCU entries began looking too realistic, which ate away at the charm of the superhero genre. With the notable exceptions of entities like Thor, Black Panther, and the Guardians of the Galaxy, things were getting far too real.
Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) is Marvel getting back to its roots, and it's not the only stellar example in recent months. With shows like Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and X-Men 97' taking a much more classic approach to familiar characters, it only feels fitting that the MCU would take the same approach, especially with the company's debut heroes. Stan Lee would be proud!
Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters July 25, 2025.