The first teaser trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps has arrived and it's looking every bit as good as hoped.
Its stellar cast is lead by Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby, while the 1960s setting seems perfect for one of Marvel's oldest and most-loved superhero teams.
After a rocky couple of years, it looks like Marvel Studios will soon find its feet again. Not only do we have the hard-hitting, ultra-violent Daredevil: Born Again coming to Disney+ in just a few weeks, and the new Captain America movie, Brave New World, hitting cinemas on Valentine's Day, the first trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps has appeared and it's looking every bit the film the team deserves.
There have been a fair few false dawns and missteps for Marvel's most prized possession, with (ironically) four movies already in existence. Not all of them are bad as such (2005's Fantastic Four is actually half-decent), but none can be considered essential viewing.
That could all change with First Steps, which will be released in theatres from 25 July 2025.
Starring genre-favourite Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian, The Last of Us, Game of Thrones), Vanessa Kirby (Hobbs & Shaw, Mission Impossible - Fallout), Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things) and the superb Ebon Moss-Bachrach of The Bear fame, it looks back on the team's beginnings in the 1960s and pits them against their most formidable opponent, Galactus.
The setting seems perfect for a fresh introduction to the quartet, and its highly-stylised look means it should avoid comparisons with the former Fantastic Four flicks. It'll also hopefully stand apart from other recent Marvel Cinematic Universe outings, which have largely struggled to achieve success at the box office.
It'll also be interesting to see how director Matt Shakman handles such a huge project considering he's more renowned for his work on the small rather than big screen. However, with episodes of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, The Boys and Game of Thrones under his belt, he's already au fait with the capabilties of big budget special effects.
Oh, and if you're thinking the opening of the teaser trailer looks a touch familiar, yes, Shakman did also direct WandaVision.
Hopefully, Disney will manage to turn around The Fantastic Four: First Steps for its streaming service before the end of 2025, but if the finished film ends up being anywhere near as good as the trailer suggests, this is one to see in the cinema first anyway.
