We're now just over a year from Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four arriving in theaters and excitement is rapidly building to see Marvel's First Family back on the big screen.
The last time they assembled was in 2015's disastrous reboot; what was meant to be an Ultimate Universe-inspired body-horror take on the heroes ended up falling apart due to studio interference, derailing up-and-coming filmmaker Josh Trank's career in the process.
Before that, we got Fantastic Four in 2005 and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer two years later in 2007. The movies were very much a product of their time but still have their fair share of fans.
Jessica Alba played Sue Storm, a.k.a. the Invisible Woman, in those and looked back fondly at the role in a recent interview with ComicBook.com.
"It's nothing but fond memories," she told the site. "I loved it so much playing that character. I feel like my whole life started in a lot of ways at that moment. I met my life partner [producer Cash Warren], we're still together, we have three kids. Tim Story, who directed, is still one of my best friends. We have New Year's Eve together."
"It was great and she was such a cool, inspiring character and ahead of her time, I would say, in the genre. And still, you still haven't seen someone who is so nurturing and feminine, but then also a fearsome badass," Alba continued. "I haven't seen that combination again. And so I think she still fills this beautiful kind of space or void in the Marvel universe."
Rumour has it we'll see at least some of the mid-2000s Fantastic Four cast in Marvel Studios' Multiverse Saga, with Chris Evans heavily rumoured to reprise his role as the Human Torch. Rounding out the team was Ioan Gruffudd as Mister Fantastic and Michael Chiklis as The Thing.
Alba was something of a trailblazer as Sue and recently returned to acting with Netflix's new action movie Trigger Warning.
Marvel Studios has announced that Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm/Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm/Human Torch), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm/The Thing) will lead The Fantastic Four cast. Julia Garner has also joined the reboot as Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer.
Recent additions to the cast include Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, and Natasha Lyonne in mystery roles, along with Ralph Ineson as the villainous Galactus.
Director Matt Shakman worked with both Avatar: The Way of Water co-writer Josh Friedman and WandaVision's Cam Squires on The Fantastic Four's screenplay, with Eric Pearson (Black Widow) recently coming on board for a final polish.
The movie is set to be released in theaters on July 25, 2025.