The Fantastic Four: First Steps finally brought Marvel's First Family into the MCU, and while the reboot did right by the team, some argued that filmmaker Matt Shakman held back on showcasing the full extent of their powers.
We're hoping that Avengers: Doomsday reveals more of what Mister Fantastic, for example, is capable of. However, it's hard to find fault with how Sue Storm's abilities were showcased, especially when looking back at her jaw-dropping clash with Galactus.
In the newly released "Art of" book for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, various alternate designs for the portrayal of the Invisible Woman's forcefield powers are revealed. Marvel Studios explored a lot of different possibilities, some of which are very cool.
Others, meanwhile, are pretty out there and unlike anything we've seen in previous movies or on the page. That's all part of the exploratory process, and likely helped Shakman and the team get to where they did with Sue in the final cut.
Vanessa Kirby will reprise the role in Avengers: Doomsday, and earlier this year, she talked about her experiences on set. "I’m loving it, absolutely loving it. It’s been a complete privilege," she said of filming, calling it the "coolest" experience.
"[The Russo Brothers] describe it like they’re making a recipe of different ingredients, and it’s unbelievable that these Avengers movies work in such a beautiful way," Kirby added. "You look at Infinity War and you’ve got all these different energies but somehow they all fuse together, and I remember them saying the first one they had no idea if any of them would go together, and it just works."
"It’s quite exciting to be a part of something and go, 'OK, this is my flavor, I don’t know.' It’s in their hands to work out what flavors go with what and how and where and there’s a surrender in that," she concluded.
Check out this newly revealed concept art from The Fantastic Four: First Steps in the X posts below.
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.
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 due to time constraints.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is directed by Matt Shakman from a screenplay by Josh Friedman and Eric Pearson and Jeff Kaplan & Ian Springer.
The movie is now available on Digital, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Disney+.