The Fantastic Four arrives in theaters next summer and, with shooting expected to begin in July, these past few weeks have seen Marvel Studios and director Matt Shakman make some major additions to the reboot.
Set on another Earth with a futuristic 1960s-era New York, the movie isn't what we expected...and that's not necessarily a bad thing.
In this feature, we're bringing you a comprehensive list of the characters confirmed and rumoured to appear in The Fantastic Four. From heroes to villains and even supporting characters, this ensemble is shaping up to be one of Marvel Studios' best...what do they tell us about the movie's plot, though?
For more on that, and to see which characters will appear in The Fantastic Four (and who is playing them), click on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.
8. Mole Man (Rumoured)
Rumour has it The Fantastic Four opens with Marvel's First Family battling Mole Man, the same villain they faced in the pages of 1961's Fantastic Four #1.
We'd say this is likely as it means Marvel Studios can open the movie with a bang, recreating an action-packed battle which pays homage to the source material (it'll also show us what this team can do together).
Who will play the baddie that commands an army of subterranean Moloids? Paul Walter Hauser is a possibility, but we're hearing it's John Malkovich.
7. H.E.R.B.I.E. (Confirmed)
Our first look at The Fantastic Four confirmed Reed Richards creates H.E.R.B.I.E. in this reality, though he doesn't look quite as advanced as his comic book counterpart.
That may be down to the 1960s setting, though it's feasible the Humanoid Experimental Robot, B-type, Integrated Electronics we've caught sight of is an early version of the sidekick that eventually serves as Franklin Richards' babysitter.
Hauser voicing him is a very real possibility, though we've heard Marvel Studios is searching for a comedy actor to lend their voice to the pint-sized fan favourite.
6. Franklin Richards (Rumoured)
Yesterday, May 12, was Mother's Day and we'd expected Marvel Studios to drop a Sue Storm-centric piece of concept art. It didn't happen, but hey, there's always next year.
We bring that up because it would have also been an ideal opportunity to confirm rumours about Franklin Richards being part of The Fantastic Four. This incredibly powerful mutant with the ability to reshape and create realities could change the MCU as we know it, particularly in the latter stages of the Multiverse Saga.
Rumour has it Valeria Richards was part of an earlier draft; since then, it appears plans have changed and Franklin will now be the only child Reed and Sue have when this story begins.
5. Doctor Doom (Rumoured)
We're not sure how Marvel Studios intends to address Doctor Doom's origin story, but setting The Fantastic Four in another reality should go some way in explaining why Latveria has never been referenced before now.
If multiple timelines are being merged after Avengers: Secret Wars to create a new "Sacred Timeline," Doom can surely come along for the ride then. So, what of the villain's place in this movie?
Several scoopers have claimed he'll appear in a post-credits scene. The trades have suggested Doom is in line to replace Kang the Conqueror as the Multiverse Saga's big bad and we'd imagine the idea is still very much on the table as we head into 2025.
4. Galactus (Confirmed)
Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and even the 2015 reboot all put Doctor Doom front and centre. Marvel Studios needed to shake things up for its version and is doing so by going straight to Galactus.
Ralph Ineson is playing the world-eating baddie and is rumoured to arrive on Earth in search of Franklin Richards. Reed and Sue's son is supposedly born in space and it could be that Galactus wishes to devour him, not the planet he resides on.
With The Fantastic Four seemingly pulling inspiration from "Earth X," it's possible Galactus is a future version of Franklin. However, we've also heard the villain might be a Multiversal threat in the MCU.
3. Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer (Confirmed)
Much to the horror of some fans, The Fantastic Four's Silver Surfer will be Shalla-Bal. Yes, we're getting a female Surfer, though there is precedent for this in the comics (once again, we'd recommend reading "Earth X").
Instead of being transformed into a fellow Silver Surfer alongside Norrin Radd, it seems the idea may be for her to become Galactus' Herald in his place.
This is an alternate reality, so changes like these make sense. Julia Garner is playing Shalla-Bal and has previously been praised for her work in Ozark, The Americans, Dirty John, and The Royal Hotel.
2. Norrin Radd (Rumoured)
While we don't have specifics on his role, Norrin Radd is indeed expected to factor into The Fantastic Four somehow. It could be a cameo or even a subplot which eventually sees him take Shalla-Bal's place by Galactus' side.
It would be strange for Marvel Studios not to reference him. However, it could be that the idea is to introduce the "classic" Silver Surfer post-Avengers: Secret Wars to further differentiate this reboot from past efforts.
And no, there's currently no word on who will play him (we'd bet on that being kept a secret).
1. The Fantastic Four (Confirmed...Obviously)
This should go without saying, but yes, the Fantastic Four will appear in The Fantastic Four.
If you need a reminder, Marvel Studios has cast 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) as Marvel's First Family.
It's a phenomenal lineup and one which makes it clear Marvel Studios is taking this team seriously. While the reboot takes place on a parallel Earth, we expect this foursome to eventually journey to Earth-616.