Fantastic Four
- Created By: Stan Lee
- Owner: Marvel
There have been three Fantastic Four movies made in the last 20 years and a fourth is reportedly on the way. This will be the third iteration of the franchise on the big screen and the previous two left quite a bit to be desired for this group.
Fantastic Four Cast (2005)
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
With 29 movies and a bunch of series already under its belt, one would think that Marvel had handled all of the stories it could reasonably tell on the big and small screen. But, if anything, it feels like things are only ramping up at the studio with more and more films and shows already in various stages of production. One of the most anticipated films, for some time now, is Marvel’s Fantastic Four which had been rumored for a while and is now set to hit theaters with a specific date.
It’s going to be a fruitful few years for the studio and we are going to get a whole host of new characters.
Let’s take a look at everything we know about Fantastic Four when it will release in theaters, who are taking over key roles, and what kind of story it could tell. There’s a lot to dive into even for a movie so far off into the future.
THE FANTASTIC FOUR INCLUDE REED RICHARDS, SUE STORM, JOHNNY STORM, AND BEN GRIMM
As one of the most popular and well-known groups of heroes in the Marvel Universe, it makes sense that fans have been itching for this foursome to make a debut in the MCU. But there’s also likely been reasons Kevin Feige and company have waited so long to do so.
The Fantastic Four is comprised of Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm. But you might know them better as their superhero alias Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and Thing. The group first hit comic book stands in 1961 with a story that somewhat mirrored the United States’s budding fascination and move towards outer space.
The group was on a mission into the great unknown there when they were hit by cosmic rays which altered their bodies. Each ended up with a specific superpower.
Mister Fantastic can stretch and bend into basically any shape, Invisible Woman really needs no explanation, Human Torch gets a little hot under the collar, and Thing essentially turned into full-on stone with super strength to boot.
Over the years the Fantastic Four have had stories that dovetailed with nearly every character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The timeline is a rich one meaning this upcoming movie can go in just about any direction.
FANTASTIC FOUR WON’T BE AN ORIGIN STORY
While we aren’t sure exactly how Fantastic Four will unfold, it at least looks like we know how it won’t go down. That’s because Kevin Feige has already confirmed that the movie won’t be an origin story. He told The Hollywood Reporter, “A lot of people know this origin story. A lot of people know the basics. How do we take that and bring something that they’ve never seen before.”
In many ways, this is a good sign and it likely means we will see references or maybe even appearances by the characters leading into the movie. Marvel has been good with these kinds of teases in the past, and if we are picking up the story mid-stream then there’s no reason to hold back and not give a morsel or two about the characters and group leading out of Phase 5.
Not taking the origin story theme with Fantastic Four is something Marvel has done here and there with the MCU timeline so far. For instance, we picked up Tom Holland’s Peter Parker story when he was already becoming established as Spider-Man.
Scarlet Johansson’s Black Widow was somewhat similar though we did retroactively get an origin there when it was all said and done. So while Marvel often wants to give the full background, it’s good to know they won’t want to do the same with the Fantastic Four. Much like Spiderman, we already know how things played out at the beginning.
After it not being an origin story, some of the Fantastic Four plot will likely have to do while we (mostly) haven’t seen them up until now. The Multiverse cures some of these issues, but in the base timeline, they’ve been conspicuously absent even during the whole Infinity Saga. If any group should have kind of seen Thanos coming it would have been these folks. But they weren’t around at all. That will require at least some plausible explanation.
THERE HAVE BEEN TWO DIFFERENT FANTASTIC FOUR VERSIONS ALREADY ON THE BIG SCREEN
We’ve already seen two versions of the Fantastic Four on the big screen. The first set had two movies with Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis in the lead roles. This was in 2005, a few years prior to Iron Man kicking off the MCU. That movie and its follow-up Rise of the Silver Surfer were generally panned, struggling to come up with a coherent story while the effects left quite a bit to be desired.
Then, in 2015 Josh Trank took a stab with a reboot movie that had Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, and Jamie Bell as the foursome. Somehow, this one did even worse at both the box office and with critics. Any thoughts of a sequel were quickly scrapped.
JON KRASINSKI PLAYED REED RICHARDS IN DOCTOR STRANGE 2
And then, in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, we got our first real reference that the Fantastic Four were alive and kicking somewhere in the MCU. That’s because John Krasinski played a version of Reed Richards who sat on the Illuminati council along with Patrick Stewart’s Charles Xavier, Hayley Atwell’s Peggy Carter, Black Bolt, and Lashana Lynch’s Captain Marvel.
This group struggled, to say the least, with the Scarlett Witch and it sure doesn’t look like we are going to see Krasinski back in the Richards role.
In fact, none of these folks will be back for Fantastic Four and we are set to get an all-new casting for the group. Additionally, we could see the first inclusion of Doctor Doom around this time. He’s the archrival of the group and with the way the MCU is heading towards Secret Wars to finish off Phase 6, setting the table here would make some sense.
MATT SHAKMAN IS DIRECTING
This is another piece that’s up in the cosmos as of right now. Originally Jon Watts was supposed to helm the film, adding quite a bit of excitement around what to expect when it finally hit the big screen. He was responsible for the Spider-Man: Homecoming trilogy of films which concluded masterfully with No Way Home. But he stepped away from the project earlier in the year.
Now Matt Shakman has taken over directing duties. He’s best known for helming WandaVision in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the first series to come in this franchise on Disney+.
FANTASTIC FOUR WILL HIT THEATERS ON FEBRUARY 14, 2025
Even with all of the unknowns, there is one piece of news Marvel has set in relative stone. That’s the release date for Fantastic Four. It was set to hit theaters on November 8, 2024. But that was pushed back and now the plan for Marvel is to have the movie come to theaters on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2025.
Latest Fantastic Four News
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Exclusive: Joseph Quinn In Advanced Talks For Marvel Hero Role
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Emily Blunt Gives Disappointing News About Fantastic Four
Emily Blunt recently revealed that she has not been asked to audition as the Invisible Women in Fantastic Four.
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Could the Fantastic Four from the 2005 film (with Chris Evans) appear in Deadpool 3? A new rumor says yes.
Marvel Needs To Bring Together The Best Fantastic Four Team
Our writer thinks Marvel needs to bring the classic patchwork Fantastic Four team of Ghost Rider, Hulk, Spider-Man, and Wolverine to the MCU.
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Adam Driver is Victor Von Doom in this piece of fan art.
Adam Driver Is Joining Marvel’s Most Anticipated Movie?
Adam Driver may be joining another Disney mega-franchise, as he is in talks to join Marvel’s Fantastic Four.
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Alexandra Daddario Joining The MCU?
A new rumor has stated that Alexandra Daddario is going to be cast as Sue Storm in Fantastic Four.
Emily Blunt Teases Husband’s Return As Reed Richards In Fantastic Four
Emily Blunt said that she would love to see her husband, John Krasinski, reprise his role as Mr. Fantastic as part of the Fantastic Four team-up.
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Fans on Twitter have been expressing their support for the Marvel delays for many of the upcoming movies.
Marvel Just Delayed Most Of Their Upcoming Movies, Bad Times Ahead?
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Ryan Gosling Playing Marvel’s Next Thanos-Level Villain?
Rumors abound that Ryan Gosling has been cast as Marvel’s next Big Bad, Doctor Doom.
Fantastic Four Is Stretching Forward
The MCU Fantastic Four movie has found its writers.
Doctor Doom Gets His Own Series
The scripted podcast Marvel’s Wastelanders: Doom will focus on the bad guy Doctor Doom.
Bill Murray’s First Marvel Role Won’t Be In Ant-Man 3
For his first Marvel role, Bill Murray voice Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, for a Marvel radio drama.
Why Fantastic Four Is Not Going To Work
The upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe version of the Fantastic Four is going to fail, because the team is simply outdated.
Marvel Disappoints Fans With Fantastic Four Announcement
Marvel fans on Twitter have exploded with disappointment over no Fantastic Four announcements today at D23.
Fantastic Four Has Found Its Sue Storm?
It looks like Marvel could be closing in on adding Jodie Comer to the cast of Fantastic Four as Sue Storm. Could others be joining soon as well?
Exclusive: Harrison Ford In Talks For Fantastic Four Role
According to our trusted and proven sources, Marvel Studios wants Harrison Ford for the upcoming, mysterious Fantastic Four movie.
See Cillian Murphy As Doctor Doom For The Marvel Cinematic Universe
Check out this fan art of acclaimed actor Cillian Murphy portraying Doctor Doom for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
See Penn Badgley As Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards
Penn Badgley has been turning heads since portraying Joe Goldberg in You, and now some fan art has transformed the man into Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four.
Netflix Serial Killer Actor To Lead Fantastic Four?
An interesting choice.
Star Trek 4 Director Jumps Ship To Another Billion-Dollar Franchise
Star Trek 4 director Matt Shakman seems as though he has abandoned the final frontier for Marvel’s Fantastic Four.
Fantastic Four Reboot Taken Over By WandaVision Director?
What would that be like?
See Stranger Things Star Joseph Quinn As Marvel’s Mr. Fantastic
Well that’s an interesting casting.
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Eddie Munson leading the FF?
