Latest news with #TheFantasticFour:FirstSteps
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Spider-Man director Jon Watts explains his Fantastic Four exit
Jon Watts left The Fantastic Four: First Steps because he was 'out of gas'. The 43-year-old filmmaker - who directed Tom Holland's Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Spider-Man trilogy - was due to helm the upcoming superhero blockbuster, though exited the project in April 2022, allowing WandaVision's Matt Shakman to take the job that September. Now, Watts has explained that 'the emotional strain' of COVID protocols, the lengthy post-production process and a general feeling of burnout following Spider-Man: No Way Home ultimately pushed him to leave The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Speaking on a panel at the Mediterrane Film Festival, he said: 'The emotional strain of having to go through all of those COVID protocols while also trying to make something creative while also trying to make sure that your cast and crew were all safe - literally people could've died if you did things wrong - that, and the post-production process was very difficult. 'When you're doing [visual effects work], there's a whole international component to it where you're using vendors from all over the world, and the supply chain had been interrupted because of COVID. It was really hard to get effects done in a traditional way. 'By the time No Way Home was done and out, I went in to get back into the story for Fantastic Four. I was like, 'I am out of gas.' 'The COVID layer on top of making a giant movie layer, I knew I didn't have what it would've taken to make that movie great. I was just out of steam, so I just needed to take some time to recover.' Watts added Marvel 'totally understood' his decision to walk away from The Fantastic Four: First Steps. He said: 'Everyone at Marvel totally understood. They had been through it with me as well, so they knew how hard and draining that experience has been; in the end, very satisfying, but at some point, if you can't do it at the level that you feel like you need to for it to be great, then it's better to not do it.' Even so, Watts said he was 'very excited' to see The Fantastic Four: First Steps when it hits cinemas on 25 July. He said: 'I don't know exactly what happens in it. But I've seen the trailers, I've heard a couple of things. 'I think it's pretty close to what we had initially come up with in our story. Obviously, it evolves and adapts over time, but the main villain, the basic threat, the broad strokes ... retrofuturism version of Fantastic Four ... It's going to be a totally surreal experience for me to go and watch that movie.' The Fantastic Four: First Steps - which stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon-Moss Bachrach - follows the titular team as they gain extraordinary powers after a cosmic accident during their exploration of outer space. As they grapple with their new identities, the Fantastic Four must unite to stop the rising threat of Galactus, who could destroy Earth.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
'Spider-Man' Director Reveals Why He Quit 'Fantastic Four'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors Not that long ago, instead of Matt Shakman, it was "Spider-Man: No Way Home" director Jon Watts who was set to bring the Fantastic Four to the MCU. Now we finally know why Watts bowed out of "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" - he ran out of gas. Read More: Tobey Maguire 'Spider-Man' Trilogy Re-Releasing in Theaters Speaking at the Mediterranean Film Festival, as reported by the Hollywood Reporter, Watts fielded questions about his departure from "First Steps". Watts committed to "First Steps" between making "Spider-Man: Far From Home" and "No Way Home," and he said that when it came time to start work on "The Fantastic Four," it occurred to him, "I am out of gas." Watts continued, "The COVID layer on top of making a giant movie layer, I knew I didn't have what it would've taken to make that movie great. I was just out of steam, so I just needed to take some time to recover. Everyone at Marvel totally understood." "They had been through it with me as well, so they knew how hard and draining that experience has been; in the end, very satisfying, but at some point, if you can't do it at the level that you feel like you need to for it to be great, then it's better to not do it." Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach in The Fantastic Four: First Steps Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach in The Fantastic Four: First Steps Disney Particularly because it was being made during the COVID pandemic, Watts said the post-production for "No Way Home" was particularly grueling. "The emotional strain of having to go through all of those COVID protocols while also trying to make something creative while also trying to make sure that your cast and crew were all safe — literally people could've died if you did things wrong — that and the post-production process was very difficult," Watts explained. "When you're doing [visual effects work], there's a whole international component to it where you're using vendors from all over the world, and the supply chain had been interrupted because of COVID. It was really hard to get effects done in a traditional way." Shakman added that it will be a "totally surreal experience" for him to eventually watch "The Fantastic Four: First Steps". "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" releases in theaters July 25. The film is directed by Matt Shakman. It stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Paul Walter Hauser, Natasha Lyonne, Julia Garner, Ralph Ineson, John Malkovich, and Sarah Niles. More Comics: 'Fantastic Four' Final Trailer Teases Epic Showdown With Galactus 'Thunderbolts' Director Reacts to X-Men Reboot Rumors
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Marvel's ‘Ironheart' reviews: Critics love Dominique Thorne — the show she's in, not so much
After a sleepy 2024 when Deadpool and Wolverine were the only ones stirring in the Marvel multiverse, Marvel Studios has kicked back into high gear over the past few months. Captain America: Brave New World led the way in February, followed by Thunderbolts in May. Critics praised the latter, but the former... not so much. Now, Ironheart is seeking to keep that momentum going on Disney+ as the studio gears up for The Fantastic Four: First Steps at the end of July. Dominique Thorne reprises her Black Panther: Wakanda Forever role as Riri Williams, the Tony Stark acolyte who builds her own suit of armor. Returning home to her native Chicago, Ironheart gets mixed up in some street-level action that ends up acquiring a more magical dimension. More from Gold Derby Paul Giamatti, Stephen Graham, Cooper Koch, and the best of our Emmy Limited Series/Movie Actor interviews 'The Penguin' star Colin Farrell would be the latest Batman villain to win a major award The first three installments of the six-episode limited series dropped on Disney+ on Thursday, with the final batch set to arrive on July 1. We've seen the full run and can say that the show ventures to some unexpected places and features some unexpected faces. But the creative team makes sure to keep Riri and her personal journey from idealist to pragmatist front and center throughout. So what do the critics make of Ironheart? The series is currently sitting at 67 percent on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer and 58 on Metracritic pointing to a mixed response. Writing in The New York Times, Mike Hale diplomatically calls Ironheart "a respectable piece of work" that won't "revive anyone's flagging interest" in the MCU shenanigans. "Fan service is prominent," he adds, giving away at least one big-name guest star who appears towards the end of the show. Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter's Daniel Feinberg doesn't care for the way Ironheart begins or ends, but found elements to praise between those bookends. "Ironheart peaks in its fifth episode with an extended action scene/product placement that I thought was a goofy blast," he writes, adding: "What sets Ironheart apart and makes the middle of the season so enjoyable are the character-based relationships." One of the lowest scores comes from Kaiya Shunyata over at whose 1.5-star review dismisses the series as "bloated and uneven," and unable to answer a key question: "Who is Riri Williams beyond the suits she builds?" "We're told she's a genius, " Shunyata continues. "And her admiration for Stark's tech is clear, but the emotional and philosophical 'why' behind her drive to become a hero remains underexplored through most of the series." The one things most critics can agree on? Thorne rises to the occasion as the lead of the series and the MCU's next version of Tony Stark. (For the record, her predecessor agrees; Robert Downey Jr. FaceTimed with Thorne ahead of the premiere on Tuesday from the Avengers: Doomsday set, telling her: "We're in this love together. I've grown so fond of you, it's bananas.") Indiewire's Ben Travers kept the love going by singling out Thorne for praise in his largely positive writeup. "Thorne embodies Riri's gradual growth with a potent blend of juvenile bullheadedness and aching vulnerability," he writes. "Her losses sit right under the surface, and even though 'Ironheart' is a lot of fun, it never loses sight of the wayward soul going through a particularly difficult coming-of-age in a particularly difficult world." Best of Gold Derby Paul Giamatti, Stephen Graham, Cooper Koch, and the best of our Emmy Limited Series/Movie Actor interviews Lee Jung-jae, Adam Scott, Noah Wyle, and the best of our Emmy Drama Actor interviews Kathy Bates, Minha Kim, Elisabeth Moss, and the best of our Emmy Drama Actress interviews Click here to read the full article.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Who is ‘world eater' Galactus and the female silver surfer Shalla Bal who feature in the trailer of The Fantastic Four First Steps
The Fantastic Four is being recast for the third time for Marvel's upcoming film The Fantastic Four: First Steps. While fans of the cinematic adaptations of Marvel comics are familiar with the four superheroes, Reed Richards (Mr Fantastic), Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm (Human Torch) and Ben Grimm (The Thing), this is Galactus and Shalla-Bal's first appearance in the film medium. For all the MCU fans, new and old, here is a little dive into the background of these characters. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Galactus made his comics debut in Fantastic Four #48 back in 1966, five years after the superheroes got their first comic book. He was initially a space explorer named Galan whose universe ceased to exist after the end of the sixth cosmos (a reality which no longer exists), and he was approached by the sentience of the sixth cosmos. After fusing with the essence of the sentience, Galactus, the 'devourer of worlds', was born. Unlike most villains in comics and in the MCU, Galactus holds no malice against Earth or any planet; he just needs to consume worlds in order to sustain his own life force. In fact, Galactus has himself admitted that one day he will give back to the universe much more than he has taken, presumably at the end of the currently existing seventh cosmos. ALSO READ: Ironheart review: Marvel ends phase five with one of the worst shows of 2025 As the devourer of worlds, Galactus has several soldiers, which are called Heralds, who travel the universe and announce his arrival before he proceeds to consume all loving beings. One of his most well-known Heralds was Norrin Radd, who willingly volunteered to become his soldier in exchange for sparing his planet of Zenn-La. Radd was then converted to the Silver Surfer, who made an appearance in the film Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007). He served Galactus for numerous years, seeking uninhabited planets, but Galactus wanted to consume the energy-rich Earth, a decision that would cause a rift between the master and the servant. After being unable to consume Earth, Galactus punished Radd and created a force field that made him unable to leave Earth. From here we move on to a different Herald, Shalla Bal, who appears as the new Silver Surfer in the trailer for The Fantastic Four First Steps. Shalla was also an inhabitant of the planet Zenn-La and was Radd's partner. The two got close after Radd lost his mother, and soon they were making plans for their future. Radd eventually had to leave her side when he offered to become the Silver Surfer, and Shalla mourned the loss of her love. After several episodes consisting of mutiny, destruction and resurrection, Shall even became the empress of her planet. Her stint as the Silver Surfer occurred in an alternate reality titled Earth X, where she is turned into the Silver Surfer post the death of Galactus. Reed and Sue's firstborn, Franklin, assumes the role of Galactus in order to ensure the cosmic balance of the world. In The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the character of Galactus will be played by Ralph Ineson, and his Herald, Shalla Bal, will be played by Julia Garner. The movie has been directed by Matt Shakman, and the rest of the cast includes Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. The film releases on July 25.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Pedro Pascal responds to backlash and thanks Downey Jr for support
Pedro Pascal has addressed the fan backlash following his casting as Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. In a recent interview, Pascal admitted he was more aware of criticism than praise this time around. Remarks such as 'he's too old,' 'he's not right,' and 'he needs to shave' were among the most repeated online, he noted. Despite the scrutiny, Pascal shared that support from Robert Downey Jr. helped him navigate the emotional toll of such reactions. 'He made me feel safe to be afraid, hungry, or ambivalent,' Pascal said, describing Downey's warmth and mentorship during early cast interactions.. Pascal also expressed confidence in the film's creative direction, even though he hasn't seen the final cut yet. He said the production was built around genuine feeling and real chemistry, especially important in portraying Marvel's 'first family.' The casting controversy erupted shortly after the film's reveal, with fans divided over Pascal's age and physical match with the comic book version of Mr. Fantastic. However, studio executives and co-stars have continued to show confidence in the choice. Fantastic Four: First Steps is set to hit theaters on July 25, 2025, followed by Avengers: Doomsday on December 18, 2026, where Pascal and Downey will share screen space again.
