Get to Know the Three Iterations of the Fantastic Four Before Watching The Fantastic Four: First Steps!
Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Phase Six kicks off with the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps in Canada. This franchise has been rebooted twice since 2005, giving us a total of three distinct iterations of the Fantastic Four:
2005’s Fantastic Four and 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Directed by Tim Story, the first film, written by Mark Frost (Twin Peaks) and Michael France (Hulk), primarily focuses on the four protagonists accidentally gaining their superpowers and their conflict with Doctor Doom. The second installment, penned by Mark Frost, Don Payne (Thor), and John Turman (Hulk), centers on the Fantastic Four's clash with the Silver Surfer and Galactus, making its plot more akin to the current The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Both films grossed over $300 million worldwide, but received mixed-to-negative reviews, holding 28% and 37% "Fresh" ratings respectively on Rotten Tomatoes.
The main cast included:
Mister Fantastic played by Ioan Gruffudd. After these films, he appeared in blockbusters like San Andreas and Bad Boys: Ride or Die, mostly in supporting roles.
Invisible Woman played by Jessica Alba (Dark Angel). Post-Fantastic Four, she frequently collaborated with director Robert Rodriguez (Alita: Battle Angel), starring in films like Sin City.
Human Torch played by Chris Evans, who later became a central figure in the MCU as Captain America a few years after these films. Last year, he made a surprise cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine, reprising his role as Human Torch.
The Thing played by Emmy Best Actor winner Michael Chiklis (The Shield). He also starred in the DC series Gotham after these movies.
The villain Doctor Doom was portrayed by Julian McMahon (Nip/Tuck), who sadly passed away earlier this month.
The Silver Surfer was voiced by Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix), who later also played Bill Foster in Ant-Man and the Wasp.
2015’s Fantastic Four
This film was directed by Josh Trank and written by him, Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight), and Simon Kinberg (X-Men series). Its plot mirrored the 2005 Fantastic Four, focusing on the protagonists gaining their powers by accident and their conflict with Doctor Doom. Josh Trank gained significant attention with Chronicle, but this Fantastic Four adaptation was critically panned, earning a mere 9% on Rotten Tomatoes and an average score of 27 on Metacritic. It was also a box office failure, grossing less than $200 million. Lucasfilm had originally tapped Trank to direct a Star Wars spin-off film about Boba Fett, but that project was dropped due to Fantastic Four's production issues and poor critical/commercial reception.
The main cast included:
Mister Fantastic played by Miles Teller (Whiplash). After this film, he frequently collaborated with director Joseph Kosinski, starring in movies like Top Gun: Maverick.
Invisible Woman played by Kate Mara (House of Cards Season 1).
Human Torch played by Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther). A few years after this film, he starred in Black Panther, becoming one of the MCU's most acclaimed villains. His recent film Sinners received strong reviews this year and is expected to garner Oscar nominations next year.
The Thing played by BAFTA Best Actor winnerJamie Bell (Billy Elliot). After this film, he reunited with Michael B. Jordan in Without Remorse, part of the Rainbow Six film series.
The villain Doctor Doom was portrayed by Toby Kebbell (For All Mankind Season 4).
2025’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps
This latest iteration is directed by Matt Shakman, known for directing The Spoils of War, widely considered the best episode of Game of Thrones Season 7, and Marvel Studios' first series, WandaVision. The screenplay was written by Josh Friedman (Avatar series), Eric Pearson (Thunderbolts*), Jeff Kaplan, Ian Springer, and Kat Wood.
The main cast includes:
Mister Fantastic played by Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us), arguably one of Hollywood's most in-demand actors recently. He has also starred in The Mandalorian (though mostly masked) from the Star Wars franchise, and currently has three films starring him in North American theaters: this film, Eddington, and Materialists.
Invisible Woman played by Venice Film Festival Best Actress winner Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman). Her performance in the first two seasons of The Crown was highly praised, earning her a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress. She then went on to star in two major action film franchises: Fast & Furious and Mission: Impossible.
Human Torch played by Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things), who was a breakout character in that show's fourth season. After Stranger Things, he went on to star in A Quiet Place: Day One, Gladiator II, and Warfare.
The Thing played by two-time Emmy winner Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear).
The villain Galactus is played by Ralph Ineson (Chernobyl).
The Silver Surfer is played by three-time Emmy winner Julia Garner (Ozark), whose other film this summer, Weapons, is also highly anticipated.
Other key cast members include Emmy winner Paul Walter Hauser (Black Bird), Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll), and Sarah Niles (Ted Lasso). Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino (Up), who has scored multiple Marvel films, also provides the score for this movie. John Malkovich (Being John Malkovich) was originally cast but his scenes were all removed.
While this film is a reboot of The Fantastic Four, it will not re-tell the origin story of how the four protagonists gained their powers; they are already a superhero team at the beginning of the movie. From the trailer footage, this film's plot appears to be closer to Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, focusing on the Fantastic Four confronting the threat of Galactus. As for Doctor Doom, the villain from the previous two Fantastic Four series, he will make his official appearance in Avengers: Doomsday, set to release in December of next year. He will be played by Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr. and will serve as the primary antagonist for the next two Avengers films. The film's art design features a refreshing retro-futuristic theme. While the previous three Fantastic Four movies were largely met with negative reviews, this latest installment, with the rights returning to Marvel Studios, has finally delivered a critically praised work, currently holding an 89% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an average score of 65 on Metacritic.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios’ 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/Human Torch and Ben Grimm/The Thing as they face their most daunting challenge yet.
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Photo: Marvel
Source: Rotten Tomatoes、Metacritic、Marvel