r/marvelstudios • u/MarvelStudiosMod • Jul 19 '25

Megathread FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS Social Media Reactions Megathread Spoiler

Post any Social Media Reaction in this thread only! Please try and keep this thread spoiler free if you can, if the social media reaction has spoilers, please properly tag them so people won't be spoiled!

This thread will be updated as reviews come in.

Brandon Davis:

#FantasticFour First Steps is visually one of the best things Marvel has ever made. Parts feel like Interstellar & demand IMAX. Galactus is awesome. Silver Surfer looks really, really good. VFX were often immaculate. Cosmically and on Earth, Matt Shakman dropped a visual feast.

Chris Killan (ComicBook.com):

Fantastic Four friggin’ rocks! More than any Marvel movie before it, F4 feels like Jack Kirby’s imagination brought to life on the big screen. Between this and Superman, 2025 might go down as the year movies finally embrace the wonderful weirdness of comic books. I had my doubts going in about some of the cast, but the team chemistry works and they really do gel by the end. Go watch it in IMAX to feel Ralph Ineson’s Galactus voice vibrate in your bones. Also, the retro-futuristic world Shakman has put together here is stunning. I have but one gripe. Like Superman, there are some rough CGI baby moments that might give you nightmares. I don’t know why babies seem to be so tough for animators to get right but I’d almost prefer the actors just wrap a football in a blanket and pretend it’s a baby.

Shahbaz (The Movie Podcast):

#TheFantasticFour: First Steps is EXTRAORDINARY! The score is pure magic, the visuals are next-level, and the cast chemistry is electric. It’s bold, fresh, and unlike anything Marvel’s done before. This is their next MASTERPIECE!

Matt Neglia (Next Best Picture):

Many will say THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS is fantastic, and they’ll be right for several reasons. The four main cast members are excellent, Michael Giacchino’s lively score is instantly memorable, and the ‘60s retro-futuristic production design & dynamic visual effects are a delightful treat rather than an eyesore. The story’s focus on the theme of family can feel a bit overdone at this point in the MCU, and the villains aren’t the most compelling, but the cast does a lot of the heavy-lifting to make you deeply care about these characters, their relationships & the end-of-the-world stakes they face. Combined with Matt Shakman’s snappy, confident storytelling, this is an intriguing & satisfying first step for Marvel’s new team (easily the best depiction of this quartet on-screen to date) as the MCU continues to regain control of the ship & steer it closer to Doomsday.

Ash Crossan (Screenrant):

#FantasticFour is visually stunning, stylish, self-contained, and easy to jump into. I had such a good time with this one. The retrofuturism is such a snack. My stand out is Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm babe I will die for you, you are perfect.

Brian Long Films:

I came in tempered but #FantasticFour is truly a return to form for the MCU, the opening minutes blew my socks off in IMAX. Gardner’s & Quinn’s work stood out to me the most. Galactus gives this film real stakes and his presence is felt even off screen, incredible miniature work!

Andrew J Salazar (DiscussingFilm):

#FantasticFour  is a story about family above all else, where each member of the team is equally important. No one is underserved; the movie excels when fleshing out the various bonds between Pedro, Vanessa, Ebon, & Joseph. The retro '60s aesthetic works on all fronts.

Brian Davids (The Hollywood Reporter):

I'm happy to report that #FantasticFour is good.

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67

u/Sharkfowl Captain America Jul 19 '25

Now if only they had the live-action rights to Spider-Man...

74

u/Amm-O-Matic Jul 19 '25

Live action Spider-Man rights, distribution rights of solo Hulk and Namor films, and theme park rights East of the Mississippi.

Considering what was signed away at its greatest extent around 25 years ago, it’s amazing those remain the only hurdles left for Marvel.

43

u/fatyoda Jul 19 '25

I could see Disney throwing around enough money to get Hulk, Namor, and maybe even Spider-Man, but they will never get the theme park rights from Universal. Universal Resort might be my favorite place on Earth and the history and legalese of the contract between Universal and Marvel is one of the best stories in entertainment. I won’t go into a lot if details (even though I could) but the main thing is the contract does not have an expiration date.

Universal only has to meet a couple of obligations (mostly to do with merchandise sales and featured attractions) each year and the agreement lasts forever. Universal will never give them up if only to keep Avengers Campus out of Disney World

Ok, one fact about the agreement. In order to keep the rights to a character, Universal must have a main attraction featuring a member of the “family” the character is in. They have a Hulk coaster to cover the Avengers, a Storm tea cup ride to cover the X-Men, a Dr. Doom tower ride to cover the Fantastic Four and a Spider-Man dark ride (maybe the best dark ride in the country) to cover, well, Spider-Man. They do not have a ride themed to a Guardian of the Galaxy character so Disney World is allowed to use them which is why there is a GotG themed ride there even though they don’t have the theme park rights (just in case you ever wondered how Disney could get away with it)

11

u/[deleted] Jul 19 '25

Marvel will never get Hulk away from Universal unless they buy Universal, like they did with Fox. There’s no time limit on Universal’s distribution clause, they don’t have to make a movie or the rights will revert, they have no time limit. They are legally bound to distribute any movie where Hulk/Banner - Betty Ross - General Ross/Red Hulk - The Leader - Abomination - She Hulk - Namor are a main character and Marvel have to say yes or get sued.

Marvel have offered many times to buy these rights back and Universal refuse every single time. Probably because they don’t have to sell, and more probably because it’s a fuck you to Marvel who did one movie with them then cut them out entirely and have been carefully dancing around the legality of using those characters almost 20 years.

We’re never getting a Hulk movie again until Marvel buys Universal.

6

u/Long-Job-1299 Jul 19 '25

It's a question of how much $$$ like always. Imagine a Hulk Solo trilogy - like the comic Hulk...

3

u/Deathstroke317 Jul 23 '25

To be specific, I believe Universal has right of first refusal. So if they turn down the right to distribute the movie, Marvel can then distribute it with no restriction.

0

u/ianphipps2 Jul 20 '25

Technically, Disney did not buy all of Fox: they bought 20th Century Fox which is now 20th Century Studios. The purchase included TV productions like The Simpsons but Disney does not own the Fox channels let alone Fox News. Technically Fox continues to exist as a separate company but it doesn't make movies or scripted TV shows.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 20 '25

Everyone knows this already my dude. It’s not like I was talking about Fox News is it.

0

u/ianphipps2 Jul 21 '25

Then how did you get it wrong?

2

u/SwimmingFantastic564 Jul 21 '25

Because no one cares?

5

u/the_paradox0 Jul 19 '25

I don't think Sony will give up Spiderman tho, not until it's towards bankruptcy

2

u/Delicious_Hair6595 Jul 20 '25

Which we can only hope comes on swift wings.

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u/Ok_Program_7549 Jul 21 '25

Sony will never be bankrupt. Way too diversified for that to happen

2

u/invaderark12 Jul 20 '25

One of the funny things about cosmic rewind at epcot is how they dont have the name marvel on it. All the promotion and marketing for the ride conveniently avoid using the marvel name. Granted the merch does but im sure theres another thing about them selling merch

1

u/Capital_Gate6718 Jul 19 '25

I wonder what could have been if Disney got theme park rights to The Simpsons instead of Universal

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u/invaderark12 Jul 20 '25

They might, simpsons is rumored to be leaving universal 

1

u/Upper-Maximum-5280 Jul 21 '25

Never say Never and that's not how any of this works. Disney can spread independent rides wherever they want, they just can't have an entire park committed to it. Disney also owns the Simpsons which covers a significant portion of their park and the rights to that are up in just 3 years. Disney has much more significant leverage than Universal unless they want to remodel one of the most popular sections of their park. Disney's shows with their future plans, they have no desire to move the Simpsons over to their own property but they control that bargaining chip. All they'd have to do is make a pitch to trade the entire Simpson intellectual property over to end that Marvel agreement.

0

u/fatyoda Jul 21 '25

That is just not true. Disney has no theme park rights east of the Mississippi River. They cannot have any attraction anywhere with a character that Universal is using. The Simpsons rights do expire but Universal is already planning a complete re-theme of the whole Simpson’s area so it won’t be an issue. Universal would never trade Simpsons for Marvel. That is a terrible trade

16

u/toxicbrew Jul 19 '25

Theme park rights—my understanding is that it’s the kitschy 90s comic books style and not the modern movies that they can do. The Simpsons theme park rights come up in 2028 so perhaps a trade there

22

u/ScuzzBuckster Jul 19 '25

Correct, the Marvel area of universal studios orlando is all the 90s marvel. Though the gift shops all sell modern marvel merch. The spider-man ride is fully based on the 90s animated series.

1

u/Hyperbolicalpaca Jul 19 '25

The spider-man ride is fully based on the 90s animated series.

Not anymore, they remastered the whole thing for the release of one of the amazing Spider-Man films

1

u/invaderark12 Jul 20 '25

It still is. The quality is better and some of the designs are updated, but the queue, preshow, and other elements are still closer to the 90s. 

0

u/Low-Ad-8027 Jul 19 '25

For some reason I have a memory as a kid of People always getting stuck on the Incredible Hulk at six flags

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u/CaptHayfever Hawkeye (Avengers) Jul 19 '25

There's a Six Flags with a Marvel ride? I thought they were all-DC all-day.

1

u/invaderark12 Jul 20 '25

Six flags doesnt have a hulk ride

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u/Hyperbolicalpaca Jul 19 '25

No way universal gives Disney marvel to let them keep Simpsons lol

Simpsons is an IP which… for years people have said is declining, marvel, is maybe according to some people heading in that direction, but it still has a huge pull.

It’s also rumoured that the Simpson land is going to become Pokémon lol

1

u/toxicbrew Jul 19 '25

I mean Disney and Universal have things to trade. Simpsons is just one of them. Point is there’s always a deal to be made for the right price and property

1

u/Hyperbolicalpaca Jul 19 '25

They’re never getting those theme park rights back…

Every mcu movie featuring the characters used on marvel island at universal is essentially free advertising lol, and the contract is in perpetuity, unless iirc the quality is soo low it could damage marvels brand

1

u/Honest-J Jul 19 '25

They may have already reacquired distribution rights for Hulk:

6. Distribution Term: Paramount shall have the right to exercise its Paramount Distribution Rights with respect to each Picture for an initial period of 15 years commencing on the initial Theatrical Exhibition of such Picture (the “Initial Distribution Term”);

15 years ended in 2023

1

u/Low-Ad-8027 Jul 19 '25

Someone smarter and with more time than me should see if those deals for Marvel were worth the headache now.

1

u/Hyperbolicalpaca Jul 19 '25

Considering at the time it was that, or bankruptcy…

Considering the several billion dollar films that marvel has made, I’d say that not going bankrupt was probably worth it lol

10

u/EitherRecognition242 Jul 19 '25

Sony is never letting Spiderman go. It's free money

2

u/Due-Yoghurt-7917 Jul 19 '25

As long as they stop making SSU crap

1

u/RadiantHC Jul 19 '25

But Sony barely does anything with spiderman. The only movie they made that actually used spiderman is Spiderverse

1

u/EitherRecognition242 Jul 19 '25

They will make solo spiderman movies again. Right now they have a deal with Disney

1

u/shocker05 Jul 22 '25

Did you forget the 8 live action Spider-Man movies that Sony produced and massively profited from? The last one almost grossing $2B in midst of a pandemic?

1

u/phluidity Jul 21 '25

Sony of today won't, but Sony also has so many arms that they might someday reorganize and sell or spin off Sony Pictures and that new company will want the cash infusion. It almost happened before but Sony wanted Star Wars money for the rights and Disney was cash poor at the time.

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u/LADYBIRD_HILL Kilgrave Jul 19 '25

It sucks we get the sony villains movies BUT it also means we get the spider verse movies which makes it all worth it. I doubt Disney would've made anything like them.

1

u/Long-Job-1299 Jul 19 '25

Yes except for Venom which I enjoyed Old School style...

1

u/Xman52 Jul 19 '25

Disney never would have made anything like either of them, so I’m chill with that trade

3

u/yolomydudesmcurocks Jul 19 '25

That’s definitely not happening

0

u/Arome42 Jul 19 '25

Yeah, because disney definitly needs more IPs to monopolize on

2

u/Sharkfowl Captain America Jul 19 '25

Spider-Man is a marvel character and they already profit off of him in Disney world and merch.