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The Star
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
How 'Fantastic Four: First Steps' sets a foundation for the future of the MCU
After three previous movie incarnations of the Fantastic Four which have been some of the most uncreative and blasphemous portrayals of the team, we finally have a movie that is worthy of the word 'fantastic'. Fantastic Four: First Steps finally does justice to Marvel's First Family, with strong performances by the leading actors, a fun, comic book-like 60s retro feel, and a Galactus that is truly worthy of the name 'Devourer of Worlds'. The new movie stars current King Of Pop Culture Pedro Pascal ( The Last Of Us , The Mandalorian ) as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby ( The Crown ) as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Ebon Moss-Bachrach ( The Bear ) as Ben Grimm/The Thing. and Joseph Quinn ( Stranger Things ) as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch. It also stars Julia Garner as the female Silver Surfer, and Ralph Ineson as Galactus. In tribute to the First Family's return to the big screen, here is a brief recap of what it means to be 'fantastic'! The Fantastic Four's first steps into the MCU couldn't have gone better. — Photos: Marvel Comics Although it's called 'First Steps', this is hardly the first time the Fantastic Four have been on the big screen, of course. Unfortunately, the actual cinematic first steps the team was supposed to take back in 1994 never really materalised, and hogged the headlines for the wrong reasons. 30 years ago, low-budget specialists Roger Corman and Bernd Eichinger made The Fantastic Four for a budget of less than US$1mil (RM4.2mil). For comparison, First Steps cost almost US$200mil (RM843mil) to make! The English-language German superhero movie was made (or rather rushed) to allow Eichinger to keep the FF film rights. The first ever Fantastic Four movie in 1994 was never released. To be fair, the movie (by comic book movie standards back then) was actually quite true to the comics, but Marvel Studio founder Avi Arad was concerned that releasing the low-budget film might cheapen the then-fledgling brand. In the end, Arad decided to purchase the film for a couple of million dollars and ordered all the prints destroyed, thus preventing its release (or so he thought). Fun fact: The original cast from the unreleased film – Alex Hyde-White, Rebecca Staab, Jay Underwood, and Michael Bailey Smith – all make cameos in First Steps . It took over a decade for the FF to have another outing on the silver screen, and I personally loved Tim Story's Fantastic Four (2005), which made enough to spawn a sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer , in 2007. The team dynamics was wonderful, with a real-life cast that mirrored the comic characters (who can forget Chris Evans' Johnny Storm, Michael Chiklis' rocky rendition of the Thing, a highly visible Jessica Alba as Sue Storm, and the scintillating Silver Surfer). The 2005 movie (and its sequel in 2007) were fun and true to thecomic books (except for space cloud Galactus!) Sure, it was a very campy cinematic take of the FF, but it was fun and entertaining. Plus without it, we would not have that iconic scene of Chris Evans going 'Flame On!' in Deadpool & Wolverine ! The only thing that spoiled it for me and the legions of Marvel fans was the way Galactus was depicted in the second movie... as nothing but a giant space cloud of dust! By 2015, the popularity of the MCU was almost at its 2019 Endgame peak, and superheroes were dominating the box office. So, it made sense for 21st Century Fox to come up with a 'reboot' of the Fantastic Four (plus they needed to make one just to hold on to the cinematic rights at the time). Unfortunately, Josh Trank's 2015 'Fant4stic Four' was an abomination that has since been dubbed one of the worst superhero films ever made. I remember watching it during the pandemic and thinking that it was an experience even worse than getting Covid-19! The less said about the 2015 'Fant4stic' abomination, the better. Besides being an utterly uninspired take on the superheroes, it also blasphemously changed the FF's origins – instead of cosmic rays from a space mission, they get their powers from an accident involving a 'Quantum Gate' designed by... Victor Von Doom. There are three things I (unfortunately) remember about the movie – Doctor Doom's low grade costume, Michael B Jordan as the most bored-looking Johnny Storm ever, and Trank publicly disassociating himself with the film prior to its release! Thankfully, Disney later bought 21st Century Fox and the rights to the X-Men and Fantastic Four came with it, which leads us to... After experiencing the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in the FF's cinematic journey, another relaunch required substantial care, creativity and culmination of every ingredient that makes the FF ... Fantastic! Directed by Matt Shakman, First Steps is set in a 1960s-inspired retro-futuristic parallel Earth (designated Earth-828), with the team already four years into their role as the planet's protectors. With 'First Steps', Marvel's First Family finally has a movie that truly does justice to its name. The film returns to the 'space mission and cosmic rays' origin story (which is told via flashbacks), and focuses a lot more around the family bonds between the four. As the movie opens, however, we learn that four will soon be becoming five, as Sue is pregnant with a son! Soon, however, the FF face an immediate danger with the impending arrival of Galactus aka the Devourer of Worlds, preceded by a stark warning by his herald, the Silver Surfer! Expect more FF versus Doom mayhem in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday movie next year. If you're still looking for an origin tale to prepare yourself for the movie, Marvel has handily released a one-shot comic written by none other than former FF scribe Matt Fraction with art by Nark Buckingham, which serves as a prologue to the movie. My biggest gripe about comic book movies is that they are usually not in-sync with the comics. The new Fantastic Four continuing series is well worth the money. Fortunately, Marvel has learned from past mistakes and there is currently a new Fantastic Four regular series by Ryan North and Humberto Ramos. Ignoring the 22 variant covers, the story and art were worth spending US$5 (RM21) on, as they remind me of a Hickman-Byrne combo! The idea of setting the story four years after the team's inception is actually ... refreshing. It also makes sense for them to have a somewhat fresh start, as they were Marvel's first Silver Age heroes, paving the way for Spider-Man, the Avengers, the X-Men and the others to shine. The Fantastic Four have always focused on family above all else, even the squabbling bits. Speaking of the Silver Age, the movie also draws inspiration from legendary FF-scribes, such as creators Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, as well as latter-day maestros Jonathan Hickman and John Byrne. Best of all is the inclusion of reference characters and places iconic to the FF, such as H.E.R.B.I.E. the Robot, the Baxter Building, Yancy Street Gang, and the Future Foundation, which provides a nice fusion of old and new into the whole ecosystem. The inclusion of Franklin both completes and complicates things for the First Family. In the comics, Franklin is a vastly powerful being who possesses powers exceeding Omega-level Mutants, capable of creating pocket universes and warping entire realities. While he is still a toddler by the time First Steps ends, THAT Doom-related post-credit scene should indicate that he might have a huge part to play in Avengers: Doomsday next year. Franklin Richards is set to become a pivotal character in the MCU. Still, with the inclusion of Franklin, the FF's embodiment of the word 'family' is one that transcends cosmic realities. The team has always been a family, bonded by marriage, blood ties, friendship and a heavy dose of cosmic rays. While other super team comic book movies have the elements of dysfunctionality ( Guardians Of The Galaxy, Thunderbolts, Suicide Squad ) or have a shared common ground (the X-Men), the FF has always lived up to the moniker of 'First Family' in the Marvel Universe. And if this movie is any indication, it is definitely setting the right foundations for the future of the MCU.
Geek Tyrant
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS Gives Mole Man a Surprising New Role in the MCU — GeekTyrant
Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps wastes no time diving into the team's beginnings, and it does so with an exciting nod to the comics. The movie opens with a montage of their origin story and their very first showdown with Mole Man. Spoilers ahead! In an epic moment straight out of classic Marvel lore, he sinks the Pan Am Building in Midtown Manhattan. The team, decked out in their blue-and-black costumes, eventually brings down Giganto and captures Harvey Elder, better known to comic fans as Mole Man. But this isn't the last time we see him. Later, it's revealed that Sue Storm has brokered a peace agreement between Subterranea and the surface world through her work with the United Nations. After the Silver Surfer drops his ominous warning, Harvey reappears, watching the team's press conference. In an unexpected twist, Sue invites him to the Baxter Building during the film's final act. With Galactus coming, and New York City in danger, the city needs to evacuate fast. Sue convinces Harvey to let millions take refuge in Subterranea, but not before a sharp exchange of words between him and the Human Torch, with Mister Fantastic delivering one of the film's more humorous lines by calling him 'Mole Man.' Once the city descends underground, Harvey steps into an almost heroic role, opening his subterranean world to the people of the surface, including Natasha Lyonne's character, Rachel Rozman. There were rumors of bigger arcs for both characters, but those plans were apparently trimmed down to keep this reboot under two hours. As for the so-called Moloids, Marvel took a grounded approach. Instead of the monstrous creatures from the comics, they're regular people who joined Harvey in building a life below New York. They wear mining gear and goggles that faintly resemble the big, bug-eyed look of their comic counterparts. It's a clever visual nod, though some fans might find it a little underwhelming. What's surprising is how the MCU flips the script on Mole Man. Rather than making him a one-note villain, the film portrays him as a reluctant ally, which I appreciated. This move adds a refreshing dynamic and sets up intriguing possibilities for the future. Plus, with name-drops like Wizard, the Mad Thinker, and Diablo sprinkled throughout the story, Marvel clearly has plenty of villains waiting in the wings. Whether we'll see more of Paul Walter Hauser as Mole Man remains to be seen, but his role here serves a very practical purpose. By sheltering New Yorkers underground during the Galactus battle, Marvel sidesteps any Man of Steel-style backlash over mass casualties. I liked how they handled Mole Man in the movie, and I hope that we get to see more of the character.
Cosmopolitan
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
The Fantastic Four: First Steps post-credits scenes, explained
Marvel's favourite family is officially back on the big screen as they join in on the Marvel Cinematic Universe and give us a glimpse at their retro-futuristic Earth as they face off against Galactus in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. While this does mean that we won't see them interact with our other favorite heroes, we still have to wonder how it'll all connect with the rest of the MCU as we get closer to Avengers: Doomsday. So does the film's post-credit scenes offer up any clues? Here's everything you need to know about the end-credit scenes in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. They might be from a different Earth, but The Fantastic Four know a thing or do about tradition. Not only does The Fantastic Four: First Steps include a mid-credits scene, but there's also a fun surprise if you wait all the way until the end. Like we mentioned, there is one mid-credit scene and another in the post-credits. In a big surprise, we're suddenly sent four years in the future where we see Sue Storm reading to Franklin on the couch. As they finish up another read, she sets out to find his favourite book with the help of H.E.R.B.I.E., who actually has a really funny suggestion for the book that Franklin might want to check out next. She finds the book in the kitchen, but feels that something is off when she returns back to the living room. Sue activates her powers as she tries to see what is happening behind the TV that's in the middle of the room when we suddenly see Doctor Doom (!!!) playing with Franklin. While we don't see their face, we do see him sporting the iconic green cloak while holding their mask in their hand. Immediately the screen goes to black and shows the words: 'The Fantastic Four Will Return in Avengers: Doomsday' After getting our heart pumping with that big hint, we get a different kind of surprise for the post-credit scene. Throughout the entire film, we have heard about The Fantastic Four cartoon and even got to see some glimpses of it. But now, we got to see the whole opening theme song including a catchphrase from our favourite clobberin' hero. It might not be a huge look at the future of the series, but it is still a fun way to end a great film! And, don't forget, The Fantastic Four were already featured in the post-credit scenes for Thunderbolts*, so we already know that a big link-up was going to happen. Hopefully we find out more real soon!
Geek Tyrant
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Hot Toys Reveals Mr. Fantastic, The Thing, Sue Storm, and H.E.R.B.I.E. Action Figures — GeekTyrant
Hot Toys has revealed several new collectible action figures from Marvel Studios movie The Fantastic Four: First Steps . The first round of reveals include Regular and Deluxe versions of Mr. Fantastic, Sue Storm, The Thing, and H.E.R.B.I.E. We already shared the massive Galactus figure, and the Johnny Storm figure, which is seen in some of the photos, will be offered at a later date. The Deluxe releases add a H.E.R.B.I.E. figure to make it a set. See full details and the new photos below. The Fantastic Four: First Steps – 1/6th scale Invisible Woman Collectible Figure 'I'm not giving up. We will face this together. We will fight it together… as a family.' – Invisible Woman Welcome to the family. Marvel Studios is set to introduce its First Family in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, a stylish, 1960s-inspired reboot that blends retro-futurism with thrilling superhero adventure. Set in an alternate Earth, the film introduces the Fantastic Four as they come together to face cosmic threats like Galactus and the Silver Surfer, while balancing their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond. Sue Storm, aka Invisible Woman, is the emotional and intellectual backbone of the team. Sue is not only a brilliant scientist and expectant mother, but also the strategic team leader who holds her family and mission together amidst chaos. As the 'most emotionally intelligent person on the planet', Sue's ability to blend compassion with strength and lead with her force-field and invisibility powers makes her the anchor of the Fantastic Four. Hot Toys is proud to present the 1/6th scale Invisible Woman Collectible Figure. The figure features a newly developed head with rolling eyeballs and meticulously sculpted icy-blonde hair to reflect Vanessa Kirby's likeness. She is dressed in her retro-futuristic Fantastic Four uniform with a coordinating belt and boots. The figure offers nine pieces of both gloved and ungloved interchangeable hands, allowing collectors to showcase her in relaxed stances or ability-using poses. Accessories include a translucent holographic force-field effect to recreate her energy shields, a baby Franklin Richards with slightly articulated limbs and nestled in a cradle covered by a removable lid, and a specially designed figure stand. A Special Edition only available in selected markets will include a specially designed The Fantastic Four: First Steps metal collectible card with display case. Complete the Fantastic Four: First Steps lineup by adding Invisible Woman to your collection, because every team needs leadership and a mother's love.
Cosmopolitan
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' Post-Credits Scenes, Explained
Marvel's favorite family is officially back on the big screen as they join in on the Marvel Cinematic Universe and give us a glimpse at their retro-futuristic Earth as they face off against Galactus in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. While this does mean that we won't see them interact with our other favorite heroes, we still have to wonder how it'll all connect with the rest of the MCU as we get closer to Avengers: Doomsday. So does the film's post-credit scenes offer up any clues? Here's everything you need to know about the end-credit scenes in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. They might be from a different Earth, but The Fantastic Four know a thing or do about tradition. Not only does The Fantastic Four: First Steps include a mid-credits scene, but there's also a fun surprise if you wait all the way until the end. Like we mentioned there is one mid-credit scene and another in the post-credits. In a big surprise, we're suddenly sent four years in the future where we see Sue Storm reading to Franklin on the couch. As they finish up another read, she sets out to find his favorite book with the help of H.E.R.B.I.E., who actually has a really funny suggestion for the book that Franklin might want to check out next. She finds the book in the kitchen, but feels that something is off when she returns back to the living room. Sue activates her powers as she tries to see what is happening behind the TV that's in the middle of the room when we suddenly see Doctor Doom (!!!) playing with Franklin. While we don't see their face, we do see him sporting the iconic green cloak while holding their mask in their hand. Immediately the screen goes to black and shows the words: 'The Fantastic Four Will Return in Avengers: Doomsday' After getting our heart pumping with that big hint, we get a different kind of surprise for the post-credit scene. Throughout the entire film, we have heard about The Fantastic Four cartoon and even got to see some glimpses of it. But now, we got to see the whole opening theme song including a catchphrase from our favorite clobberin' hero. It might not be a huge look at the future of the series, but it is still a fun way to end a great film! And, don't forget, The Fantastic Four were already featured in the post-credit scenes for Thunderbolts*, so we already know that a big link-up was going to happen. Hopefully we find out more real soon!
