Fans had been waiting years for the Fantastic Four to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For decades the rights were held by 20th Century Fox, and only after Disney’s 2019 acquisition did Marvel finally have control. Hopes were high, especially with Kevin Feige promising to “introduce the First Family properly.” Now, in 2025, The Fantastic Four: First Steps has arrived, and with it comes a mix of excitement and disappointment.
The film takes place on Earth-828, a retro-futuristic alternate reality outside the main MCU timeline. Visually, it’s a triumph. The look is striking, from Mister Fantastic’s futuristic designs to a world that channels Jack Kirby’s boldest imagery. The aesthetic is gorgeous, but it also highlights one of Marvel’s persistent problems: the overreliance on multiverse storytelling. What once felt novel now risks becoming an exhausting crutch, and here it keeps the Fantastic Four at arm’s length from the larger MCU.
Characterization is another sore spot. Of the team, only the Invisible Woman feels close to her comic counterpart. The Human Torch lacks his trademark bravado, the playful rivalry with the Thing, and even his iconic “Flame On!” catchphrase. Mister Fantastic, meanwhile, is strangely restrained in his powers. The stretching sequences are particularly disappointing. What we see in First Steps feels underwhelming and oddly unfinished:
When compared to the more fluid, imaginative sequences from the 2005 film, the contrast is striking. Nearly twenty years later, audiences should be seeing an upgrade, not a downgrade:
And for many fans, myself included, the most disappointing omission was the downplaying of the Thing’s Jewish identity. Representation matters, and Marvel’s repeated reluctance to fully embrace Jewish characters—whether Sabra in Captain America: Brave New World, Moon Knight’s erased heritage, or now the Thing—feels like a frustrating trend.
The home release, however, comes with a solid set of extras. Meet the First Family captures the cast’s chemistry, with Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach discussing the pressure of embodying such iconic roles. Fantastic Futurism offers a fascinating look at Earth-828’s design, marrying 1960s sci-fi with modern visual effects. From Beyond and From Below explores the villains and cosmic concepts adapted from the comics, showing the filmmakers’ eagerness to embrace the Fantastic Four’s stranger corners. A gag reel and deleted scenes add little, but the audio commentary with director Matt Shakman and production designer Kasra Farahani is a highlight, giving fans insight into the creative process.
In the end, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a film of contrasts. It dazzles with its retro-futuristic style and offers glimpses of the potential Marvel has with these characters, but it falls short in honoring their spirit and legacy. The home release is worth a look for the extras, but the film itself may leave longtime fans still waiting for the Fantastic Four they’ve been hoping for.
As for its place in the MCU, the film feels more like a prologue than a fully integrated chapter. By setting the story on Earth-828, Marvel sidesteps the challenge of weaving the Fantastic Four directly into ongoing storylines, while leaving the door open for future crossovers through the multiverse. It suggests the team is being positioned as a long-term piece in the buildup to Avengers: Secret Wars rather than as immediate players alongside the current roster of heroes. Whether that strategy pays off depends on whether audiences are willing to wait yet again for the Fantastic Four to truly find their footing in the MCU.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is available now on digital and arrives on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD on October 14
If you would like to learn more about the comic book version of the Fantastic Four, then check out our video “Who Are The Fantastic Four”, located HERE
Dan Kleiner 
Newsdesk