Pedro Pascal Proudly Raves Over Pregnant Vanessa Kirby At 'Fantastic 4' Premiere: 'Stunning'
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
‘Fantastic Four' Credits Scene Confirms Franklin Richards' Role in ‘Avengers: Doomsday,' but It's a Big Risk
SPOILER ALERT: This story discusses major plot developments, including the ending and post-credits scenes, in 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' currently playing in theaters. From the very first scene, the question of what will become of the child of Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) and Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) looms over 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps.' When Sue tells Reed she's pregnant, his thoughts immediately turn to what it means for two people with superhuman DNA to procreate. Reed puts the fetus through every possible test he can, and nothing indicates anything is abnormal, so it comes as a shock when the massive, primordial, world-eating Galactus (Ralph Ineson) announces that Reed and Sue's child does, in fact, possess 'the power cosmic.' More from Variety Pedro Pascal Downplays Reed Richards Becoming the New Leader of the Avengers in 'Doomsday': 'That's a Little Bit of a Mislead' Box Office: 'Fantastic Four: First Steps' Makes $24.4 Million in Previews, Beating 'Superman' for Biggest of 2025 Sacha Baron Cohen Shocks Fans With Muscular Body Transformation to Play Marvel's Mephisto: 'This Is Not AI... Hard Launching My Mid-Life Crisis' Reed, Sue, Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) are too busy keeping Galactus from taking Reed and Sue's child once he's born — oh, and also consuming the entire planet Earth — to find out what it means for wee Franklin Richards to have the power cosmic. But they get a pretty strong idea after Sue dies using all of her power to push Galactus into a giant teleportation portal. As Reed, Johnny and Ben weep over Sue's body, baby Franklin reaches out to her, places his hands on her shoulders, and, after a few moments, Sue's eyes become filled with stars as she gasps back to life. Comic books being comic books, the boundaries of the power cosmic haven't been rigidly defined, but it is essentially the power of a god, with the ability to manipulate just about anything at will — including time itself. As a storytelling device, this level of almighty omnipotence can be dangerous: How can anything matter if your character can fix it all in a blink of an eye? To repeat: In 'The Fantastic Four,' Franklin saves his mother from death as an infant. Imagine what he'd be able to do as a toddler, or a teenager. Marvel comics have dealt with this problem by taking Franklin's powers away from him — sometimes he does it voluntarily, sometimes it happens with external restraints (often placed by Reed). But while the power cosmic itself can be deadly for drama, the fact that a child possesses this power has also proved to be a fertile creative engine in Marvel comics, attracting all manner of villains bent on manipulating Franklin into their own nefarious machinations. Which brings us to the mid-credits scene of 'The Fantastic Four.' Four years after the events of the film, Sue and Franklin finish reading the classic children's book 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' (which was first published in our reality in 1969). She gets up to find another book — H.E.R.B.I.E. the robot suggests Franklin's favorite, Charles Darwin's 'The Origin of the Species,' but Sue wants 'to go for something a little bit more fun today' — and as she walks back from the kitchen, she hears something…off. She walks slowly into the living room, activating her forcefield powers, and sees a man in a green, hooded cloak, kneeling in front of Franklin, as he brandishes a silver mask. Although we don't see the figure's face or hear him speak, this is obviously Doctor Doom, who will be played by Robert Downey Jr. in 2026's 'Avengers: Doomsday.' In the comics, Doom is an integral figure in the lives of both Franklin and his younger sister Valeria, as kids and adults — occasionally at the same time, through the magic of time travel and the multiverse. Given that 'The Fantastic Four' takes place on Earth-828, and we see their ship appear on Earth-616 in the post-credits scene in 'Thunderbolts*,' it's clear that 'Doomsday' will freely traipse the lines between time and space within the MCU. And now it appears that Franklin will play a critical role how that all comes to pass. On the one hand, this is a terrific way to bring the Fantastic Four into the larger MCU: It isn't about some abstract metaphysical danger, it's about their son, creating an emotional hook into a story that — with at least 27 major speaking roles — could otherwise become unwieldy. And unlike 2018's 'Avengers: Infinity War,' 'Doomsday' isn't benefitting from years of earlier blockbuster movies establishing the central villain and defining what's at stake for the characters. Audiences just aren't as invested in the Multiverse Saga as they were in the Infinity Saga, but a family desperate to save their child is an easy story to connect to. On the other hand, while Franklin's abilities seemingly outstrip everyone else in the MCU, he hasn't been established yet as an actual character beyond being a cute, towheaded preschooler. Hinging 'Doomsday' on our investment in an all-powerful cypher is doubly dangerous for a blockbuster movie — which is another reason to wonder whether an older version of Franklin from the future may show up in 'Doomsday,' as he does in the comics. (It is…curious…that Sue is reading a Franklin story about metamorphosis into a butterfly, followed by a reference to the man to discovered the theory of evolution. Most curious, indeed.) If the first post-credits scene in 'The Fantastic Four' is a portent for Marvel's future, the second was an homage to its past. After the final credits roll, a quote from 'Fantastic Four' co-creator Jack Kirby (no relation to Vanessa) appears on the screen: 'If you look at my characters, you will find me. No matter what kind of character you create or assume, a little of yourself must remain there.' Kirby's birthdate of August 28, 1917 appears next to his name, revealing that it corresponds to the Fantastic Four universe of Earth-828 (i.e. 8/28/1917). Then the opening credits of the in-universe Fantastic Four animated series plays, with a peppy theme song that evokes the Saturday morning cartoons of Marvel characters from the 1970s that inspired 'The Fantastic Four' director Matt Shakman as a kid. It's such a blast of nostalgic fun, perhaps Marvel should consider making that show for real. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? Final Emmy Predictions: Talk Series and Scripted Variety - New Blood Looks to Tackle Late Night Staples
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
‘Fantastic Four: First Steps': Marvel finally made a movie you don't need a guide to follow
MoviesFacebookTweetLink Follow Maybe 'superhero fatigue' is a thing of the past – with DC's 'Superman' still soaring in theaters, Marvel's 'Fantastic Four' reboot is set to join the fun this weekend, with positive momentum. The new movie featuring Marvel's First Family, as they're known, is not a sequel, prequel, spinoff or crossover, but a fresh take on a historic group of superheroes. No prior Marvelpedia knowledge is required to enjoy. That might sound like no big deal, but after 2023's 'The Marvels,' this spring's fourth 'Captain America' movie and 'Thunderbolts*' all underperformed by Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) standards, the new 'Fantastic Four' may offer broader audience appeal by not pulling from other franchises. And while there are definite Easter eggs (this is a comic book movie based on characters dating back to 1961, after all), the movie is what you'd call no-strings-attached fun. Most of that has to do with a welcome course-correction after the last two attempts at 'Fantastic Four' (there was the suite of Chris Evans/Jessica Alba-starring movies from the aughts, followed by a largely forgettable attempt featuring Miles Teller a decade ago). This go-round is highly stylized as a retro-futuristic world a la The Jetsons (where is that movie, by the way?) that honors the 1960s-era origins of the titular foursome. There's also a game cast, including Pedro Pascal, whose three films out this season – oh wait, make that four – still feel like not enough Pedro. Add to that Vanessa Kirby, 'Stranger Things' breakout Joseph Quinn – plus 'The Bear's' Ebon-Moss Bachrach as perhaps the most charming of the quartet, even though he's covered in a rocky mug – and the result is an engaging movie that focuses on family (in addition to some intergalactic baddies). 'First Steps' doesn't even refer to the Four by their decidedly silly superhero names (the Human Torch does sound like an obsolete infomercial product, if we're being honest), but rather introduces them as a man, his wife, his best friend and his brother-in-law. They exhibit their superpowers, but their collective expertise as scientists and astronauts prove equally valuable. After a busy and tumultuous few years in the ever-sprawling MCU, fans and casual viewers alike will have a breather after this weekend's release, since 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day,' the studio's next major theatrical tentpole, isn't coming out for another full calendar year and change. With any luck, that will be just enough time for everyone to get another round of zzz's before another dizzying superhero superstorm commences. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' is out in theaters Friday. 'Superman' is distributed by Warner Bros., which is owned by CNN's parent company.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Do You Need to See Any Other Marvel Movies Before ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps'?
Here's how it connects with the rest of the MCU Marvel's First Family is finally part of the MCU with 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' and they have a truly storied history. But that might make you worry that you have a lot of homework to do before seeing the film. Now in theaters, the film directed by Matt Shakman takes the MCU to a retro-futuristic New York, where the Fantastic Four have become a beloved group of heroes. This time around, they're played by Pedro Pascal (Mr. Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm) and Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm). More from TheWrap 'Tron: Ares' Brings New Nine Inch Nails Video and Light Cycle Chases to Comic Con Larry Ellison to Hold 35.5% of Family's Voting Rights in New Paramount, National Amusements After Skydance Merger Closes Stephen King's 'The Long Walk' Gets Tense New Trailer as the Game Begins Cole Escola Joins Melissa McCarthy in Warner Bros. Animated Christmas Musical 'Margie Claus' | Video Earth faces the threat of Galactus, the devourer of worlds. And we mean that literally; the space giant physically consumes entire planets to satiate an insatiable hunger. He's a major villain in the comics, just as the Fantastic Four are some of Marvel's most major heroes. So, what other MCU projects do you need to watch before seeing the movie? Well, as it turns out, nothing. Yes, seriously. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' marks one of the very few Marvel films — certainly the first in several years — where you don't actually have to watch any previous MCU installments to understand what's going on. That's due in large part to the fact that the events of this film take place on an entirely different Earth. Here, we're on Earth-828, so named in honor of Marvel legend Jack Kirby, who was born on August 28. There's been some debate on which Earth the MCU primarily exists in, though Marvel head Kevin Feige swears its Earth-616. Regardless, that means that none of the action that's happened in the rest of Marvel's films, as far as we know, has had any connection or bearing on the world of 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps.' So, you can go into this film as a complete Marvel newbie, and be totally fine. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' hits theaters everywhere on July 25. The post Do You Need to See Any Other Marvel Movies Before 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps'? appeared first on TheWrap.
