Marvel Studios released an epic new trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps yesterday, and all signs point to the movie doing right by Marvel's First Family.
We've already broken down the biggest surprises and reveals, but a closer look at the reboot's Times Square showcases a couple of fun Easter Eggs that tip their hat to the MCU and beyond.
The first pays homage to WandaVision with a store named "Westview Appliances & Television." The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman helmed the Disney+ series, and both have the 1960s setting in common. Beyond that, we wouldn't anticipate them being connected in any way.
The next reference appears to pay homage to Mister Fantastic actor Pedro Pascal's role in The Last of Us as a theater is showing a movie called "Attack Of The Fungu" (you can read our review of season 2 by clicking here).
The Fantastic Four are the only superheroes in this reality, though we're sure there will be plenty of nods to this team's comic book adventures.
Paul Walter Hauser recently teased what fans can expect from the movie when he said, "I don’t think I’m speaking out of school. And I think, from what I’ve seen, and obviously I can’t say much about it, but I will say the short time I was on set, dude, they’re making a cool movie, man. This is a smart, chic Marvel movie that really focuses on family as part of the theme. And you really kind of fall in love with those characters, I think."
"And that’s what’s missing is sometimes if you don’t fall in love with these characters, and you keep putting them in peril, we don’t really care," he said of what's hurt recent MCU titles. "You know, you got to make us care first. And I think Marvel’s hopefully getting back to some of that.
Check out these newly discovered Easter Eggs for The Fantastic Four: First Steps below, and stay tuned for more on the movie as we have it.
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.