The Fantastic Four: First Steps is Going to Be a Game-Changer

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Do I like bad movies? (That’s a rhetorical question. Seriously. You don’t have to answer.)

To be honest, I’ve always found myself drawn to the Fantastic Four films. From the ones starring Chris Evans to even the Michael B. Jordan version, I’ve enjoyed them all. Now, I know some people might find this peculiar (and they might not be wrong given my affinity for movies like Eternals), but the Fantastic Four series is one of my favorites in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

However, let’s move past self-criticism now, as there’s some exciting news to share! It’s Galactus-level news, in fact! The latest trailer for “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” has just been released, and it looks absolutely amazing! Being a fan of every movie featuring these characters, I am beyond excited after watching this new trailer. Here are my reasons.

The Thing Has Never Looked Better In Live-Action

In truth, among all these movies, it’s not Doctor Doom who takes center stage as the primary character, but rather The Thing. The general mood of the films is heavily influenced by him.

Two key aspects are significant for this character. Firstly, it’s quite evident that appearance plays a crucial role here. For instance, in Season 4 of Arrested Development on Netflix, a subplot unfolded around the fictional musical movie Fantastic 4, where Tobias wore The Thing costume and undeniably looked comical. This ties into the humor, as when The Thing is portrayed in live-action, it’s likely to appear ridiculous considering its unique characteristics.

For instance, the costume in the unpublished 1994 “The Fantastic Four” film was comical, and the character appeared even more poorly designed in the 2015 version. However, surprisingly, the best one yet has been from the early 2000s. In those two films, Michael Chiklis donned a full-body suit, which looked fantastic!

As a die-hard movie enthusiast, when I caught a glimpse of The Thing in the latest trailer, my immediate reaction was, “Wow! This is spot-on perfection!” What struck me was how uncannily it mirrored The Thing from the comic books, and let me tell you, that’s rare when it comes to CGI. I must admit, I was taken aback by its likeness. So, one thing that truly excites me about the upcoming film is the remarkable accuracy in bringing The Thing to life on the big screen.

Another aspect worth mentioning is the vocal performance and acting skills, and truth be told, my feelings about this are still undecided at the moment, but I’m open to experiencing it. It’s intriguing to note that Ebon Moss-Bachrach has been cast as Mr. Clobberin’, and upon first listen, his voice stood out to me. Unlike the deep, gravelly tone portrayed by Chiklis, this interpretation is more human-like, which I find quite intriguing. Although it’s a departure from what I’m used to, the novelty of it appeals to me, and I’m eager to see how it unfolds.

I Love All Of The Actors In Their Respective Roles

Initially, I must admit, the thought of Pedro Pascal portraying Mr. Fantastic gave me some pause. Perhaps it was due to the fact that, similar to others, I had envisioned John Krasinski for the role, a version we saw in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Initially, I felt hesitant, but my doubts quickly vanished when I saw the trailer. After all, with his versatile acting skills, it seemed inevitable that Pascal would excel as Reed Richards.

As a film enthusiast, I might not be familiar with Vanessa Kirby’s entire body of work, but having seen her captivating performance in The Crown, I can confidently say that I am eager to see her bring Sue Richards to life on the big screen.

I haven’t had a chance to watch Joseph Quinn in any projects so far, but when I first laid eyes on him as Johnny Storm, I instantly thought, “Yes, that’s Johnny alright.” To be honest, Johnny has never been my favorite character to follow.

In the 2000s films when they had Chris Evans, I accepted it without issue. Similarly, when Michael B. Jordan starred in the 2015 movie, I felt the same way. Therefore, if Quinn yelling “Flame on!” doesn’t sound odd to me, then I should be able to accept it as well.

However, among all the casting choices, The Bear’s Moss-Bachrach stands out as particularly intriguing. Although a significant part of his role may be computer-generated imagery (CGI), I am confident that he will bring a unique touch to The Thing, much like Mark Ruffalo did with The Hulk. Previously, I mentioned that he appears to be a more tender interpretation of the character. Indeed, I am very excited about this cast!

The Period Setting Gives Me A Real Silver Age Of Comics Vibe

I may have seen a few gray hairs, but I’m not as old as the Silver Age of comics. Instead, I was a ’90s child, which means my childhood stories included epic battles like ‘Maximum Carnage’ and ‘Spawn’.

In my opinion, there’s an undeniable appeal to comics from the 1960s. Despite their yellowed pages, it’s not the aging that I adore, but rather the storytelling style of that period. For instance, those stories were heavily text-laden. This meant that instead of just a few words and then a full page of an action like a character crashing through a wall, there was a lot more dialogue and narrative detail.

Initially, narratives developed before character dialogues dominated the scene extensively. As a young one, I strongly disliked this style of writing, yet as I grew older, I found myself captivated by these intricate plots. Indeed, they are quite engaging!

Additionally, I appreciate the way their costumes frequently had both vibrant and understated tones. In contrast to the ’90s, when everything was oversized – from weapons to pouches to everything else – the ’60s appeared more muted, a style I find quite appealing.

This trailer evoked a feeling reminiscent of the ’60s, fitting since the film is set during that era, similar to “Captain America: The First Avenger.” Unlike the latter, which had a more earthy, brown color palette, this movie appears vibrant and, if I may say so, quite hopeful.

The outfits, vehicles, and colors – everything in the trailer – just heighten my anticipation for this movie even further.

A Comic Accurate Version Of Galactus This Time Around Is Blowing My Mind

In my piece discussing lessons the latest film could take from its predecessors, I brought up Doctor Doom; however, in all honesty, his portrayal on screen leaves me feeling somewhat weary, if you will.

Indeed, I’m thrilled about Robert Downey Jr.’s return as Doctor Doom, but let’s save that excitement for another day. For now, I’m more intrigued by the fact that this Fantastic Four movie seems to be shifting its focus away from the villain, which is a refreshing change. After all, it feels like every previous FF movie has had Doctor Doom front and center, and I’m glad this film seems to be breaking that pattern. As for whether he’ll make an appearance in the post-credits scene, time will tell!

Instead, we’ll have a different rendition of The Silver Surfer, played by Julia Garner, and a humanoid representation of Galactus, played by Ralph Ineson.

Instead of referring to “cosmic being,” I use the term “person-form” as it reminds me of the film “Rise of the Silver Surfer.” In this movie, a massive cloud represented Galactus. Now, let me clarify. I adore that movie, but I was slightly disappointed that we only saw that version of him in movies so far.

Yet, the trailer indicates that this film addresses the issue of not seeing Galactus’s face. What we do catch a glimpse of is his distinctive headwear, and that alone is enough to get me excited!

Indeed, it’s true that his appearance seems slightly diminished compared to my usual image, but, based on what I’ve read online, it appears that Galactus is capable of altering his size – expanding or shrinking as needed. There have been instances where this cosmic entity has shown such variability in scale.

So, yeah, score another point for this movie.

It Just Looks Like So Much Fun, And Vastly Different From The Other Movies

Lastly, can I just gush about how fun this movie looks?

I’m smitten by everything I’ve witnessed, from Reed and Sue Richards showing visitors around their vintage abode, to The Thing preparing meals with a robot, to the antics of Johnny Storm – it’s all just delightful!

Indeed, earlier I declared my shift from being an MCU supporter to a DC enthusiast. However, this captivating trailer has managed to lure me back towards the Marvel universe once more.

Since I mentioned earlier that I’ve always enjoyed every Fantastic Four film I’ve seen, and given how impressive the trailer appears, it’s likely that this might turn out to be the greatest Fantastic Four movie yet.

The lively and joyful aspect of this movie is what truly captivates me. After the unexpectedly somber 2015 film, I never thought we’d get another vibrant and energetic Fantastic Four production, but that’s exactly how this one appears – full of life and energy.

Only time will tell if it actually is, but I’m excited. Are you?

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2025-02-07 20:08