Marvel may finally be stretching back into form, literally and figuratively, with Fantastic Four: First Steps, the studio’s 37th entry in the MCU and, according to critics, a much-needed course correction for a franchise that’s been spiraling like a multiverse migraine.
Early reviews suggest the film is precisely what its subtitle promises: a reset. “Marvel’s best film in a decade,” hailed The Telegraph, while Variety cheered that Marvel had “got its mojo back.” Even The Guardian, typically less forgiving, admitted the film has “regained its buoyancy.” In short? Mr. Fantastic isn’t the only thing snapping back into shape.
Set in a retro-futuristic 1960s, First Steps stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby as Susan Storm (Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm (Human Torch), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm (The Thing). Their enemies? Cosmic powerhouses Galactus, portrayed by Ralph Ineson, and a gender-swapped Silver Surfer played by Julia Garner—a casting twist that’s already lit up social media with both praise and pearl-clutching.
Director Matt Shakman, of WandaVision fame, helms this retro reboot, grounding it in its standalone universe. No homework required. No need to have sat through 36 other Marvel films, seven multiverse breakdowns, and half a dozen overlapping timelines. “There’s relief to be had from a Marvel movie in which you needn’t have carefully studied multiple other movies to make sense of what’s happening,” wrote Variety’s Peter Debruge.
And that’s kind of the point.
After the critical flops of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels, the House of M needed a clean slate. And Fantastic Four delivers just that, albeit in charmingly retro wrapping paper. Think Jetsons-meets-Jack Kirby, with a dash of Mad Men sci-fi chic. There’s a baby on the way for Reed and Sue. There’s family drama. There’s a clobberin’-time Ben Grimm. There’s no multiverse to decode. It’s comic-book comfort food.
But not everyone’s ready to hand Marvel a gold star just yet.
The Independent called the film “no disaster—but it’s no Superman, either,” referencing DC’s recent reboot win. Critic Clarisse Loughrey noted that while Kirby’s performance shines and the set design dazzles, the script is still weighed down by “the usual unfunny banter and pathological Marvel aversion to risk.” There’s wonder, yes—but not much suspense.
Still, for fans who remember Marvel’s earlier glory days—when a single film like Iron Man or Guardians of the Galaxy could thrill without needing a whiteboard and a Wikipedia tab open—it feels like hope.
One key to this success? The cast.
Pascal’s weary intellect, Kirby’s emotional gravity, Quinn’s hothead energy, and Moss-Bachrach’s gruff charm make for a grounded, relatable quartet. As The Telegraph’s Robbie Collin put it, they feel like “a refreshingly human quartet of heroes.” And yes, they fight a giant space god. But they also argue in the kitchen and awkwardly navigate parenthood. It’s the kind of grounded weirdness Marvel used to do best.
And the Silver Surfer twist? Julia Garner’s performance has drawn curiosity and controversy. Still, her scenes with Johnny Storm (Quinn) reportedly crackle with a flirtatious charge that gives the old cosmic story a new emotional beat.
As Empire put it in their four-star review, the film doesn’t hit every comedic high note, but it “brims with sincerity,” offering a hopeful vision of unity, heroism, and second chances. “Those are the kind of heroes, it feels, that we need right now,” wrote critic Dan Jolin.
Marvel head Kevin Feige has already teased a seven-year plan—because, of course, he has—which includes Spider-Man: Brand New Day and two Avengers movies. But with Fantastic Four gaining traction and praise, it seems the studio may have finally figured out what fans have been asking for: more story, less spreadsheet.
Whether First Steps is the beginning of a full-blown Marvel Renaissance or just a nostalgic breather remains to be seen. But for the first time in a long time, the reviews are pointing in one clear direction:
Up.
And that’s something even Galactus can’t eat. Fantastic Four: First Steps is now exclusively in theaters.
The Geek is a working screenwriter, director and screenwriting instructor.
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