Marvel Studios just dropped a quick new promo for The Fantastic Four: First Steps on their official TikTok, and while it clocks in at a brisk 15 seconds, there’s a decent amount of new footage.
Right off the bat, Johnny Storm throws down a line, “Time to save the planet.” But what’s more interesting is what comes after. Reed Richards is shown telling the team to trust him, while the editing cuts to both Johnny and Ben Grimm reacting with serious hesitation.
The promo also offers another brief look at The Thing… with a beard. It’s so funny seeing Ben Grimm’s The Thing rocking the rock facial fuzz. It’s a look pulled from more recent comic runs, but seeing it in live-action is catching a lot of people off guard.
As for the rating, no shocker here: the film has officially been rated PG-13 for “action/violence and some language.” Standard fare for a Marvel outing.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ben Grimm/The Thing—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.
The movie is rooted in the old-fashioned optimism that inspired the comic that birthed the modern Marvel Universe in 1961. The director previously said:
“More than just the visual aesthetics, the ‘60s to me are all about optimism. It’s about looking to the stars and dreaming about traveling into space. It’s about how with the right heart and the right mind, you can do anything — which is what the Fantastic Four is all about.”
Directed by WandaVision’s Matt Shakman, the film boasts a high-profile cast led by Pedro Pascal (Reed), Vanessa Kirby (Sue), Joseph Quinn (Johnny), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben), with a supporting lineup that includes John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser, and Sarah Niles in yet-to-be-revealed roles.
The script was originally written by Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer, it was revised by Cameron Squires and Avatar: The Way of Water co-writer Josh Friedman, with Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok, Black Widow) giving it the final pass.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps in theaters on July 25, 2025.
