The Fantastic Four: First Steps is still playing in theaters, and grossed an additional $1.7 million on Wednesday to bring its domestic cume to $236.7 million. There are no major new releases this weekend, meaning it remains on track to finish its U.S. run with $260+ million.
Today, we have more concept art from the movie. Ryan Meinerding, character designer, creative director, and Marvel Studios Head of Visual Development, has shared his "main design image," which was used to "figure out what the characters would look like as a team" in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Interestingly, Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards appears to have a full-blown beard here, similar to what we've seen in the comic books (The Last of Us star's moustache proved surprisingly divisive among fans).
"I’m more aware of disgruntlement around my casting than anything I’ve ever done," the actor acknowledged. "He’s too old. He’s not right. He needs to shave.'" Fortunately, Pascal has found an ally in MCU veteran and Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. "He’s just so immediately generous and inviting that you feel like you can be afraid, you can be hungry, you can be ambivalent."
As you'll see in the Instagram gallery below, Meinerding successfully managed to capture the personalities of each member of the MCU's Fantastic Four.
We also have some early designs for the Fantasticar, revealing how the team's flying vehicle was reimagined for the MCU and Earth 828.
At the bottom of this post, you'll also find two batches of spoiler stills from The Fantastic Four: First Steps, with new shots of the bearded Thing, the Human Torch fully flamed on, Galactus, and more. We're still waiting on a proper look at the team's battle with Giganto in their early, comic-accurate costumes.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet.
Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal.
Also appearing are Natasha Lyonne as Rachel Rozman, Paul Walter Hauser as Harvey Elder/Mole Man, Sarah Niles as Lynne Nichols, and Mark Gatiss as Ted Gilbert. John Malkovich was set to play Red Ghost, but was cut during post.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is directed by Matt Shakman from a screenplay by Josh Friedman and Eric Pearson and Jeff Kaplan & Ian Springer.
In our review of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, we concluded, "The Fantastic Four is an exceptional introduction to the MCU’s First Family, and thanks to a Jack Kirby-infused feel that’s unlike anything we’ve seen before, it proves to be a quintessential superhero movie with Marvel Studios at its brilliant best.
The movie is now playing in theaters.