After two failures at the big screen, Marvel has finally delivered a proper debut for the Fantastic Four with “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.” The film was released on July 25, 2025 and is currently still showing in theaters. Directed by Matt Shakman and starring Pedro Pascal, the film has already earned more than 435 million globally, making it Marvel’s biggest success in years.
This film is set in a 1960’s alternate reality known as Earth-828 where the fantastic four are already seasoned heroes. Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) come face to face with Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his herald The Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). Behind the cosmic threat lies a deep story, as Sue deals with the challenges of pregnancy. It gives the movie an emotional feel that keeps the story grounded.
The screenplay, written by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer, does a good job of mixing action with family drama. The score, composed by Michael Giacchino, adds energy with its optimistic feel. The futuristic costumes do well in adding style and aesthetic to the movie
Marvel took a big risk, putting in more than 200 million dollars into production. It seemed to have paid off in the end, earning 230 million dollars domestically and 204.6 million overseas in its first weekend alone.
The reception for the film has been mostly positive. Kyle Wu, a senior at Mark Keppel High School, said, “I liked how accurate it was to the ‘Fantastic Four’ comic books.” Pascal’s performance was also loved by fans like Xiang Geng, a senior at Mark Keppel, who said, “I can see him playing Mr. Fantastic in a sequel.”
Marvel did not hold any punches on the film’s budget. Pascal allegedly took home 7 million dollars, Kirby earned 3 million, and both Quinn and Moss Bachrach made around 2 million dollars each. Garner and Ineson were paid in the $500,000 – $700,000 range.
“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” has managed to do what other iterations of the team couldn’t- they introduced marvel “first family” in a way that feels both nostalgic and refreshing. Even with its flaws, the film sets a new bar for the eventual Marvel Cinematic Universe reboot.
