Marvel Studios is set to reintroduce its founding heroes to a new generation with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, arriving July 25, 2025. The film marks a significant shift in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as it kicks off Phase Six, ushering in a new era through the lens of a retro-futuristic alternate timeline.
Directed by Matt Shakman, the movie features 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 high-profile ensemble also includes Julia Garner as Shala-Bal/Silver Surfer and Ralph Ineson as Galactus, while John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, and Paul Walter Hauser round out the cast in mystery roles.
Fans may remember John Krasinski’s cameo as a Reed Richards variant in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), but First Steps marks the first fully integrated MCU version of the Fantastic Four.
The script is credited to a team of writers: Jeff Kaplan, Ian Springer, Josh Friedman, Cameron Squires, Eric Pearson, and Peter Cameron. The production is underway at Pinewood Studios in London. Marvel’s synopsis teases a vivid new setting: “Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world,” First Steps introduces the Fantastic Four “as they face their most daunting challenge yet.”
However, this isn’t the familiar Earth fans have come to know. As reported by Entertainment Weekly, “So the new film will be set in the ’60s — just not our ’60s. First Steps is the 37th installment in the MCU, but it won’t be set on the same Earth as Iron Man or The Avengers.”
Instead, the film imagines a world where 20th-century dreams of progress actually came to fruition. “In our timeline, the ’50s and ’60s were full of artists and thinkers who imagined utopian futures full of miracle inventions like flying cars and robot friends. In this world, Reed Richards exists to invent them.”
Shakman, who stepped in after Jon Watts departed in 2022, told EW the alternate setting gave the creative team a chance to reimagine the Fantastic Four’s beginnings. “We knew that we’d be on another Earth, so we had a chance to reinvent what the ’60s looked like,” he said.
“I was really interested in imagining the Fantastic Four being astronauts,” Shakman continued. “Instead of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin going to the moon, what if it was Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben who were really the first to go into outer space, the first to push those boundaries?”
The film’s runtime clocks in at 130 minutes, according to a listing from AMC Theatres. That makes it the longest theatrical take on the Fantastic Four to date. Earlier iterations came in much shorter: 1994’s Fantastic Four ran 90 minutes, the 2005 and 2007 installments were 106 and 92 minutes respectively, and the 2015 reboot was 100 minutes.
Casting the iconic team presented its own challenges, with Shakman telling EW it was “the hardest part.” Kirby’s Sue Storm is portrayed as pregnant, with motherhood forming a central theme of the film. She also drew from one of the character’s more complex comic arcs. “I looked to Sue’s darker comic alter ego, Malice, to add complexity to the role,” Kirby shared.
Joseph Quinn explained how Johnny Storm is evolving for modern audiences. “He’s a man that leads with a lot of bravado, which can be an affront sometimes. But also, he’s funny,” he said. “Myself and [Marvel Studios boss] Kevin [Feige] were speaking about previous iterations of him and where we are culturally. He was branded as this womanizing, devil-may-care guy, but is that sexy these days? I don’t think so.”
“This version of Johnny is less callous with other people’s feelings, and hopefully, there’s a self-awareness about what’s driving that attention-seeking behavior.”
As Marvel expands its Multiverse Saga, First Steps follows a turbulent year for the studio. Captain America: Brave New World faced reshoots and scrutiny, yet still surpassed $400 million worldwide. Thunderbolts* followed in May 2025, bringing together returning characters like Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), and Red Guardian (David Harbour).
Meanwhile, Marvel’s Blade reboot remains shelved. Despite Mahershala Ali still attached to the project, behind-the-scenes instability has delayed its debut indefinitely. Its former release window was filled by Predator: Badlands, directed by Dan Trachtenberg under 20th Century Studios.
The Fantastic Four’s story won’t end with this chapter. They’re set to return in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, arriving in 2026 and 2027. Kevin Feige announced their continued involvement during San Diego Comic-Con, where a livestream also confirmed additional appearances throughout the Multiverse Saga.
One of the biggest reveals? Robert Downey Jr. is coming back to the MCU—but not as Tony Stark. He’ll portray Victor Von Doom in both upcoming Avengers films, which will be directed by Anthony and Joe Russo.
Marvel’s future slate now includes: Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31, 2026), Avengers: Doomsday (December 18, 2026), and Avengers: Secret Wars (December 17, 2027). With First Steps reimagining the origin of Marvel’s original superteam, the studio is clearly placing them at the center of what comes next.
How do you feel about the Fantastic Four finally entering the MCU? Let us know in the comments below!
