Film Influencer 2025 - The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Marvel is back! Taking on the new Superman. The Fantastic Four: First Steps landed last Thursday.

This is the 37th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the second reboot of the Fantastic Four film series. 

The film was directed by Matt Shakman from a screenplay by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, and the team of Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer. 

Starring man of the moment, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn as the titular team, alongside Julia Garner, Sarah Niles, Mark Gatiss, Natasha Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser, and Ralph Ineson. 

The film is set in the 1960s of a retro-futuristic world which the Fantastic Four must protect from the planet-devouring cosmic being Galactus (Ineson).

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the first film in Phase Six of the MCU. The film received generally positive reviews from critics and has grossed over $218 million worldwide. A sequel is in development. Which guess what, you get a sneak peek at in the mid-credits as usual.

Unlike recent Marvel films, this was more about family and collaboration. The whole world needs to work together as one to defeat Galactus. 

Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal AKA the Silver Surfer, is one of the more interesting Marvel villains.

The movie also moved a hell of a lot quicker than most Marvel affairs. All done and dusted in under 2 hours. Including that mid-credits scene.

This won't win any awards (gosh I say that about a lot of the shit I see) but it did also set up Avengers: Doomsday. Yep the Avengers are back!

So the superhero genre has felt a little cooked, however Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps are starting to get audiences back to the big screen.

These films for me now are simply just an escape from the world. The 24/7 news cycle. The world being ruined by greedy old men. And to be honest some greedy old women, but mostly men.

Superheros are fun on the big screen, however on Earth it is beginining to feel like we need our own real life Fantastic Four.

For it's tight run time, star cast, I'll give it a solid 3 Stars.