Captain America: Brave New World was a critical and commercial flop, with Thunderbolts* also underperforming despite glowing reviews. Now, all eyes are on The Fantastic Four: First Steps to turn things around for Marvel Studios.
Fandango has just released a new still from the movie, putting the spotlight on Mister Fantastic and the Human Torch in outer space.
We've already seen plenty of these spacesuits, albeit before they got their powers. The difference here is that their costumes and ship now boast the "4" logo, confirming they're a superhero team when they return to space. This appears to corroborate rumours that, after the Silver Surfer visits Earth, Marvel's First Family heads back into the cosmos to confront Galactus.
Looking back at the teaser trailer, we can safely say that Sue Storm gives birth to Franklin Richards on this trip. That's not 100% confirmed, but the signs are all there.
Vanessa Kirby has talked about playing a pregnant superhero and previously confirmed she took a deep dive into the comics by referencing Sue's darker alter-ego, Malice (a negative aspect of her personality brought to the surface by Psycho-Man after she suffered a miscarriage).
"Matt and I were really aware that there hasn't really been a mother with a baby in these superhero archetypes women have been getting," Kirby explained. "One of the things I love most from Sue's history is when she becomes Malice, and all her dark stuff comes out. I was obsessed with that chapter of her life."
"So I wanted to make sure that there were tones of Malice in there with her, that she wasn't just the stereotype of a goody, sweet mother."
"I've always been really interested in the mess of femininity, and how can you be both? How can you be all the things? Not just the tough, invincible, powerful woman, but also a mother who gives birth, which is itself a superhero act," the actor added. "I love that these characters are real humans in a messy family who argue and try to work it out and get things wrong."
Tickets for The Fantastic Four: First Steps are rumoured to go on sale starting June 4, so we likely have several posters and at least one more trailer to look forward to before the reboot arrives in theaters.
Check out this new look at The Fantastic Four: First Steps in the social posts below.
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.