The first reactions for 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' are in and they're overwhelmingly positive
"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" comes out later this week, marking the next installment in the MCU. But a select few already saw the movie at an exclusive Los Angeles premiere.
The good news? Those who saw the movie have come away impressed. The vast majority of social media reactions have been positive, with one person even going as far as to say it's visually " one of the best things Marvel has ever made" (h/t Brandon Davis on X).
Clearly, the choice to remove John Malkovich's Red Ghost from the movie paid off, or at least it hasn't seemed to hurt the movie. Nor has pushing this movie back multiple times to give director Matt Shakman and the rest of the crew ample time to get things right. You may like
Full disclosure: Take these reactions with a grain of salt. While some critics are throwing their opinions in the mix, it's largely influencers, superfans and those most inclined to give the movie positive buzz who are posting these early reactions. There's nothing nefarious about it, but they also don't always represent the final critical or audience consensus around the film.
So without further ado, here are some of the first reactions from the premiere of "The Fantastic Four: First Steps." 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' first reactions — 'a genre-defining classic' The Fantastic Four: First Steps | Final Trailer | Only in Theaters July 25 - YouTube Watch On
I know I just told you to temper expectations, but let's start with some potential hyperbole right out of the gate.
"#FantasticFour Quite possibly the best Marvel Studios film ever released," writer George McKay unequivocally stated on X. "Thoughtfully crafted and easily a genre-defining classic."
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
#FantasticFour Quite possibly the best Marvel Studios film ever released. Absolutely loaded with talent and standout performances from Vanessa Kirby and Joseph Quinn. If you thought the MCU died with Endgame, think again. Thoughtfully crafted and easily a genre-defining classic pic.twitter.com/nU8k7c7boCJuly 19, 2025
While not quite so declarative about the movie's standing in the MCU pantheon, People Magazine writer Sharareh Drury had plenty of praise for the film.
"Stunning visuals, a moving story, witty banter and epic action," she declared. "Marvel's First Family delivers one awesome ride."
Saw #TheFantasticFour today - it's breathtaking! Stunning visuals, a moving story, witty banter and epic action. Marvel's First Family delivers one awesome ride. Pedro Pascal nails it as Mr. Fantastic. Vanessa Kirby stands out as Sue Storm - she's a shooting star. 💫July 19, 2025
Finally, let's wrap things up with my personal favorite.
Content creator and actor Matt Ramos took to X to declare the movie's characters a delight. "The cast & their chemistry hold this film up," he posted. "Pedro delivered my favorite performance as Reed."
#TheFantasticFour was AMAZING! The cast & their chemistry hold this film up. Pedro delivered my favorite performance as Reed. The score elevates every scene & is sooo prevalent. Galactus is perfectly adapted. This is a film with joy, heart, comedy & more. Solid 8/10. pic.twitter.com/LNVvL3SKHZJuly 22, 2025
And yet, for all that praise, the movie is merely a "Solid 8/10."
Something about the shift from euphoric delight to tempered praise really summed things up neatly for me. I'm hopeful Marvel truly has hit the mark, but I'm keeping my expectations in check on this one. I'd gladly settle for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" to be a solid eight out of 10.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
20 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Marvel returns to form as ‘Fantastic Four' soars to $118 million at the box office
It was clobberin' time this weekend, as Marvel's 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' nabbed the top spot at the box office with a performance that returned the Walt Disney Co.-owned superhero franchise to form. The movie hauled in $118 million in the U.S. and Canada and grossed $218 globally in its opening weekend. The film, which stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn, is just the latest remake of the comic book property, though the first under Walt Disney Co.'s ownership. Formerly owned by 21st Century Fox, 'The Fantastic Four' is one of several key intellectual properties now under the umbrella of the House of Mouse after its $71.3 billion acquisition of that studio's entertainment assets in 2019. Disney has already capitalized on its ownership of the 'Deadpool' and 'X-Men' properties — its 2024 film, 'Deadpool & Wolverine,' garnered more than $1 billion in global box office revenue. Fox produced and released three 'Fantastic Four' movies, none of which were well-received by audiences or critics. A 2015 reboot was particularly reviled. Quality was not an issue this time. The movie notched a 88% approval rating on aggregator Rotten Tomatoes and an 'A-' grade from audience polling firm CinemaScore. The movie exceeded pre-release estimates. 'First Steps' was expected to gross $100 million to $110 million in its debut weekend, on a reported budget of about $200 million. The theatrical reception for 'The Fantastic Four' is a relief for Disney and Marvel, which has struggled in recent years to reap the box office earnings it once did with its superhero films. The Anthony Mackie-led 'Captain America: Brave New World' received middling reviews from critics and brought in about $415 million in global box office revenue. Ensemble movie 'Thunderbolts*' received strong reviews, but made only $382 million worldwide. Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger said earlier this year that the company 'lost a little focus' in its zeal to produce more shows and movies for the Disney+ streaming platform, acknowledging that 'quantity does not necessarily beget quality.' 'By consolidating a bit and having Marvel focus much more on their films, we believe it will result in better quality,' he said during an earnings call with analysts in May. Anticipation was high for 'The Fantastic Four,' and Disney went all out with the marketing. The company hired a skywriter to craft encircled 4's in the sky near downtown Los Angeles on the day of the premiere and featured a drone show outside the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion after the showing. 'While Marvel films have settled into a fairly predictable core audience after multiple under-cooked films and streaming series in the post-'Avengers: Endgame' era, the brand remains sturdy when the right film comes along,' Shawn Robbins, director of movie analytics at Fandango and founder of site Box Office Theory, wrote in a weekend theatrical forecast published Wednesday. Warner Bros.' DC Studios' 'Superman' came in second at the box office this weekend with a domestic total of $24.9 million for a worldwide gross so far of $503 million.
Bloomberg
23 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
‘Fantastic Four' Tops Box Office in Reset for Marvel Franchise
The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the first picture in a new phase of superhero movies from Marvel Studios, opened as the No. 1 film this weekend in US and Canadian theaters, delivering ticket sales of $118 million. Adapted from the 1960s comic books of the same name, Fantastic Four stars Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby as superheroes seeking to prevent Galactus from destroying Earth. The picture, which has a retro look, scored strongly with critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Industry tracker Boxoffice Pro had forecast sales of $115 million to $135 million.
2 hours ago
Nostalgia takes over the box office
The box office just took a walk down memory lane with 'Happy Gilmore 2' sequel dropping on Netflix and 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' hitting the big screen with its 1960s retro-futuristic world.
