The marketing campaign for The Fantastic Four: First Steps is heating up, Human Torch-style, as Empire Magazine has just shared two new covers featuring Marvel's First Family, Galactus, and the Silver Surfer.
Mister Fantastic, The Thing, the Invisible Woman, and the Human Torch stand side-by-side in the Baxter Building, with the alternate reality New York, Fantasticar, and Silver Surfer in the background.
While Shalla-Bal taking centre stage in place of Norrin Radd has divided opinions, the MCU's Silver Surfer looks spectacular on a cover by artist Doaly. As you can see, Galactus's shadow looms large overhead.
Back to the Fantastic Four, and while those costumes aren't to everyone's liking—the white part of Reed's suit being blue and Ben Grimm wearing a full body suit are two major sticking points—the team looks good together. Whether they'll get an updated look in Avengers: Doomsday remains to be seen.
A lot is riding on The Fantastic Four: First Steps; Marvel Studios can't afford another flop, and the team will likely be relegated to supporting players in future Avengers movies if this team-up doesn't strike a chord with moviegoers.
Check out these new Empire covers in the Instagram posts below. And, if you're eager to know what's to come in The Fantastic Four: First Steps' post-credits scene, spoilers found their way online earlier today.
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.
Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, and Natasha Lyonne have been cast in mystery roles. Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom is rumoured to appear, though that's surely a given with Avengers: Doomsday on the way.
Director Matt Shakman worked with both Avatar: The Way of Water co-writer Josh Friedman and WandaVision's Cam Squires on The Fantastic Four: First Steps' screenplay, with Eric Pearson (Black Widow) later coming on board for a final polish.
The movie is set to be released in theaters on July 25, 2025.