Fantastic Four: First Steps Receives Rave Reviews Ahead of Release

LOS ANGELES, CA — Marvel‘s “Fantastic Four: First Steps” has been unveiled to members of the film press, and early reactions are overwhelmingly positive. Critics are praising the film as a “visual feast” featuring “snappy, confident storytelling.” The film is set to hit theaters on July 24, 2025.

Matt Neglia, editor-in-chief of Next Best Picture, shared his thoughts on social media platform X, stating that the film lives up to its namesake of “fantastic.” He highlighted the “excellent” leading quartet and “delightful” retro-futuristic aesthetic. Neglia remarked, “Combined with Matt Shakman‘s snappy, confident storytelling, this is an intriguing and satisfying first step for Marvel’s new team, easily the best depiction of this quartet on-screen to date. The MCU continues to regain control of the ship and steer closer to ‘Doomsday.'”

Entertainment journalist Brandon Davis also praised the movie on X, calling “Fantastic Four” one of the “best things Marvel has ever done.” He compared the film’s visuals to those in Christopher Nolan‘s acclaimed film “Interstellar.” Davis expressed enthusiasm saying, “Galactus is awesome. Silver Surfer looks really, really good. VFX were often immaculate. Cosmically and on Earth, Matt Shakman dropped a visual feast.”

People staff writer Sharareh Drury echoed the applause, describing the movie as “breathtaking.” She gave particular praise to leads Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby, who portray Reed Richards and Susan Storm, respectively. Drury noted, “Stunning visuals, a moving story, witty banter, and epic action. Marvel’s First Family delivers one awesome ride. Pedro Pascal nails it as Mr. Fantastic, and Vanessa Kirby stands out as Sue Storm—she’s a shooting star.”

The film also features Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, aka Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm, aka The Thing. “First Steps” follows this super team as they defend Earth from the massive planet-eating tyrant Galactus. Directed by Matt Shakman, the film is written by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, and Jeff Kaplan.

Notably, Variety reported that actor John Malkovich was initially set to appear as the Red Ghost but was ultimately cut from the final version. Shakman expressed that it was “heartbreaking” to exclude Malkovich and felt honored he had joined the project. He added, “There were a lot of things that ultimately ended up hitting the cutting room floor. When we were building a ’60s retro-future world, we had a lot to balance, and some things had to go for the film’s final shape.”

As anticipation builds for the movie’s release, the early reactions highlight the film’s commitment to its cast and visual storytelling. More reactions are expected as the release date approaches.