Behold… the First Family are finally set to make their debut in the MCU, with the release of the first teaser trailer for Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Here’s all of the exciting details you may have missed!
When and Where Does ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Take Place?
The Fantastic Four: First Steps takes places in a timeline seperate from the main MCU, much like Deadpool & Wolverine. This film takes place in a retro-futuristic version of the 1960s in Manhattan.
What is the Baxter Building?
The teaser begins on a view of a conversation pit, a popular architectural design from the 1950s to the 1970s. Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) introduces an unnamed man to the Baxter Building. The Baxter Building is a fictional 35-story office building in Manhattan where the top five floors serve as the headquarters for the Fantastic Four. It was originally introduced in Fantastic Four #3 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
Who is H.E.R.B.I.E The Robot?
H.E.R.B.I.E stands for Highly Engineered Robot Built for Interdimensional Exploration and was originally built by Reed Richards and Master Xar. The character was first introduced in the animated series The New Fantastic Four but was later adapted to comics and was introduced in Fantastic Four #209. The robot has had many purposes over the years and while we see H.E.R.B.I.E helping with dinner in the teaser, it’s likely that’s not the only purpose the robot has.
Who are The Fantastic Four?
If you’re here, you probably already know who The Fantastic Four are, but they weren’t always superheroes. Before they were the superhero group, they were a group of astronauts bearing the same name. After an accident in space exposes them to comsic rays and gives them their powers, they become heroes. The teaser shows off a montage, showcasing Sue Storm’s Invisible Woman powers, Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as The Thing, and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) flying in flames as The Human Torch. Most notably, we don’t see Reed Richards’ (Pedro Pascal) stretching powers.
A fun detail that most may have missed is that when the Human Torch takes off, the camera lens is covered in grime that makes the moment feel much more real. Much of the teaser is focused on the family dynamic between the team, which makes sense considering they are quite literally Marvel’s First Family.
What is the Fantasticar?
The Fantasticar, as seen above, is the main mode of transportation for The Fantastic Four. The car has the capability to travel at high speeds and in most versions, can split into four separate vehicles. It was first introduced in Fantastic Four #3 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
Who is John Malkovich playing?
Although his character has yet to be officially revealed, it is believed that John Malkovich is playing the Red Ghost. In the comics, first seen in Fantastic Four #13 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Red Ghost designs a rocket to send three primates to space to intentionally expose them and himself to the same cosmic rays that gave the Fantastic Four their powers. He then goes with the primates, called his “Super Apes” to fight the team.
Who is Galactus?
Later in the teaser, a giant, looming shadow is shown to be hovering over Manhattan. The shadow is unmistakably Galactus (Ralph Ineson) which is quickly confirmed by the shot of the back of his head. Galactus is a cosmic entity that sustains himself by eating planets. Well, why doesn’t he look big enough to eat a planet? Galactus has the ability to change his size for his purposes. Galactus was first introduced in Fantastic Four #48 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. It seems likely that Galactus plans on consuming this version of Earth which is likely how the Fantastic Four end up in the main MCU continuity, Earth-616. At one point in the teaser, there’s some sort of explosion in the sky that may indicate when that happens.
As Big As The Beatles?
In the final shot of the teaser, The Fanastic Four are seen on a platform surrounded by arrows. This is highly reminiscent of The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964.
This is a clear reference to that performance from The Beatles, nicknamed The Fab Four. While we don’t know if this specific version of Earth has The Ed Sullivan Show or The Beatles, it wouldn’t be a surprise if The Fantastic Four were just as popular on their Earth.
What Is The Future Foundation?
As you may have noticed, much of the marketing has mentioned The Future Foundation. The Future Foundation is an organization created by Reed Richards made up of great minds to create solutions for the world’s problems and form a better future. He created the organization after becoming discouraged by the way other scientists applied science to problems the Earth was facing. The first apperance of the Future Foundation can be found in Fantastic Four #579 by Jonathan Hickman.
Check out the teaser trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps below, in theaters July 25.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps, directed by Matt Shakman (WandaVision) stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing.
