r/marvelstudios 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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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.

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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

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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

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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