The Fantastic 4: First Steps (2025)

Welcome to the family.

PG-13
1h 55m

Directed by: Matt Shakman
Story: Eric Pearson
Premiered: July 23, 2025
Language: English
Status: Released
Budget: $200,000,000.00
Revenue: $520,652,419.00
Awards: 3 nominations total
Country: United States of America

The Fantastic 4: First Steps

7.0/10 (2525 vote)

★★★★★★★★★★

Production: Marvel Studios
Kevin Feige Productions

Spoiler

Witness the birth of a hero and the defense of a planet in "The Fantastic Four: First Steps." Family bonds are tested against an epic cosmic threat.

In the vibrant, retro-futuristic landscape of Earth 828, circa 1964, the celebrated heroes known as the Fantastic Four find their lives irrevocably altered by the impending arrival of new life and an existential cosmic threat. Reed Richards, the brilliant and adaptable Mr. Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), and his wife, Sue Storm, the enigmatic Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), are navigating the hopeful, yet anxious, journey of starting a family. After two years of trying to conceive, Sue is finally pregnant, a joyous announcement met with a mixture of Reed's excitement and apprehension, given their own genetically altered natures. Sue, however, remains steadfast, assuring Reed of their readiness for parenthood.

Their personal milestones are juxtaposed against a televised retrospective on "The Ted Gilbert Show," hosted by Ted Gilbert (Mark Gatiss). The program recounts the extraordinary events of the past four years: Reed, Sue, her fiery brother Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), and their steadfast friend Ben Grimm, The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), embarked on a pioneering space mission. A fateful encounter with cosmic rays transformed them, bestowing upon them incredible abilities. Reed gained the power of extreme elasticity, Sue developed the capacity for invisibility and the creation of formidable force fields, Johnny became the Human Torch, capable of engulfing himself in flames and absorbing them, and Ben was mutated into a rocky, super-strong being.

These newfound powers have been instrumental in protecting New York City. Their heroic endeavors include a significant confrontation with the subterranean supervillain, Harvey Elder, known as Mole Man (Paul Walter Hauser). In a testament to Sue's compassionate diplomacy, she not only helped defeat Mole Man but also brokered a peace accord, establishing a charter with his underground civilization, Subterranea. Mole Man, despite his initial animosity, is moved by Sue's kindness and agrees to her terms.

The news of Sue's pregnancy is shared with Ben and Johnny, with Ben's keen observation quickly discerning the joyful tidbit from Sue's radiant demeanor. The quartet, along with their loyal robotic companion H.E.R.B.I.E., celebrate this personal triumph. As the months progress, the team adapts to the impending arrival of the baby. Ben and H.E.R.B.I.E. diligently work to "baby-proof" their home, while Reed, ever the scientist, designs a specialized pod as a crib, a precautionary measure until the baby's unique DNA can be fully understood. Simultaneously, Reed is engrossed in developing a groundbreaking teleportation device.

Meanwhile, on the streets, Ben Grimm enjoys the adulation of local schoolchildren, who eagerly request a demonstration of his incredible strength. After obliging by lifting a car, Ben encounters Rachel Rozman (Natasha Lyonne), the children's teacher, and finds himself instantly smitten.

As Sue nears her due date, a sudden distress signal interrupts their preparations. A bizarre storm materializes in the heart of the city, drawing the Fantastic Four into action. Piloting their iconic Fantasticar into Times Square, they are met by an awe-inspiring alien entity: The Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). She delivers a chilling prophecy: Earth is slated for destruction, heralding the arrival of her master, the planet-devouring Galactus (Ralph Ineson). As the Silver Surfer departs, Johnny, in a burst of fiery determination, pursues her into space. He confronts her aboard her cosmic board, but she responds with an alien phrase before incapacitating him. Reed, analyzing the Silver Surfer's trajectory, discovers a grim pattern of consumed and annihilated planets, confirming the imminent danger. The Fantastic Four publicly pledge to confront Galactus, launching themselves into the cosmos with the world watching.

Their journey leads them to a planet in the throes of Galactus's destructive consumption. Galactus's colossal vessel engulfs their ship, and they are once again confronted by the Silver Surfer. She guides them to Galactus, revealing her role in selecting worlds for her master's consumption. To Johnny, she clarifies her earlier cryptic message: "Die with yours," a grim foreshadowing of Earth's fate.

Brought before the towering cosmic entity, Reed pleads for Earth's salvation. Galactus, however, senses the unborn child within Sue, detecting a latent power capable of satiating his insatiable cosmic hunger. He presents a stark ultimatum: Earth will be spared if they surrender their child. The Fantastic Four refuse, initiating a desperate escape, with the Silver Surfer in pursuit. As they race towards the portal that promises their return home, Sue begins to go into labor. Reed skillfully maneuvers the team, trapping the Silver Surfer in a temporal dilation field, buying them precious time. Sue gives birth to a healthy baby boy, Franklin.

Upon their return, the Fantastic Four hold a press conference, admitting they have not defeated Galactus. Reed explains the impossible choice Galactus presented and their unwavering refusal to sacrifice their child for the planet's survival. This revelation ignites public outrage, with many viewing their decision as a betrayal. Meanwhile, the Silver Surfer attempts to reason with Galactus, deeming an attack on an infant an act too far, but her protest is met with an attempt to silence her.

Reed, ever the innovator, conceives a daring plan: to teleport Earth to an alternate dimension, thus evading Galactus's reach. Concurrently, Johnny delves into his old records, seeking to decipher the Silver Surfer's language. The immense pressure of the situation takes its toll on Sue. She addresses the public, articulating her unyielding resolve to protect her child, while reaffirming the Fantastic Four's commitment to finding a way to save them all. Her words begin to restore some faith in the populace.

As the network of teleportation towers is erected, Earth braces for the monumental shift. However, the Silver Surfer launches a devastating assault, systematically destroying the teleportation bridges. As she approaches the final bridge in Times Square, Johnny intercepts her. He reveals he has uncovered the truth about her past: her name is Shalla-Bal, and she once had a daughter. Galactus threatened her world, and Shalla-Bal sacrificed herself, becoming his herald to spare her planet and her child. Hearing the echoes of those lost to Galactus's destruction, Shalla-Bal falters and flees.

With time running out, the Fantastic Four devise a desperate last resort: using Franklin as bait to lure Galactus into a portal that will banish him to an unknown void. Despite the inherent risks, everyone, including Sue, agrees. They enlist the aid of Mole Man, who facilitates the evacuation of New York's citizens into the safety of Subterranea. With the city emptied, Galactus arrives. Just as the trap is nearly sprung, Galactus senses Franklin in the Baxter Building and breaches their defenses to seize the infant.

The Fantastic Four react with immediate courage. Sue generates a colossal force field to confront Galactus, while Reed attempts to disrupt his machinery. Galactus retaliates, stretching Reed to his limits. In a critical moment, Johnny drops Ben from a great height, initiating "clobberin' time" against the cosmic titan, allowing Reed to retrieve Franklin. Sue manages to push Galactus far enough for him to fall into the portal. As the portal begins to close, Galactus attempts to re-enter. Johnny prepares to make the ultimate sacrifice, flying with all his might to push Galactus through. However, Shalla-Bal intervenes, pushing Johnny aside and sacrificing herself to send her former master, and herself, into the void.

Reed, Ben, and Johnny return to find Sue unconscious. Despite Reed's desperate efforts, Sue has passed away. Franklin, crying for his mother, is placed on her. As Franklin touches Sue, a miracle occurs: she revives. Sue, realizing her son's extraordinary abilities, tells Reed that Franklin is already more incredible than they could have ever imagined. The people of New York return to their city, celebrating the Fantastic Four as their heroes once more. As they prepare to appear on "The Ted Gilbert Show," another distress signal sounds. The team rushes to the Fantasticar, where Reed, Ben, and Johnny clumsily but successfully secure Franklin's car seat, and the family embarks on their next mission.

Mid-Credits Scene: Four years later, Sue is reading a story to a toddler Franklin. When she leaves the room momentarily, she returns to find a mysterious figure in a green cloak and metal mask standing beside her son: Doctor Doom has arrived.

Post-Credits Scene: An animated intro for an in-universe Fantastic Four cartoon plays on a television before H.E.R.B.I.E. deactivates it.