Let’s be honest: Bringing Marvel’s First Family to the big screen hasn’t been a smooth ride. We’ve been through the campy Roger Corman unreleased version, the mid-2000s Jessica Alba/Chris Evans era, and the 2015 “we-don’t-talk-about-that” reboot that made Rise of the Silver Surfer look like The Godfather. For years, it seemed like no one could crack the Fantastic Four formula. Too goofy and you lose the drama, too dark and miss the heart. But with First Steps, Marvel Studios finally got it right. After waiting for decades, a couple of rights reversions, and a full integration into the MCU sandbox to make it happen, we’ve finally made it!
When Kevin Feige confirmed at Comic-Con that the Fantastic Four would officially join the MCU, the stakes were high. The tone had to balance the team’s pulp-sci-fi origins with the modern, interconnected storytelling of the MCU. The production team looked to the comics’ early Lee/Kirby runs, mixing them with the grounded character work Marvel’s Phase 4 and 5 have been leaning toward. Director Matt Shakman, who already proved he could blend heartfelt family drama with comic-book weirdness in WandaVision, was the perfect choice. Filming spanned London, New York, and a massive volume stage for cosmic sequences. And unlike past attempts, Marvel took its time ironing out the script to weave in natural MCU connections while keeping the four’s own identity intact.
Right out of the gate, Marvel tips its hat to co-creator Jack Kirby. The movie’s Earth designation, Earth-828, is a sly nod to his birthday, August 28. Once you notice it, you can’t unsee the other Kirby tributes sprinkled in, like a “King’s Deli” storefront (Kirby’s nickname was “The King”) and the stylized cosmic patterns in Reed’s lab that echo Kirby’s signature art style.
Then there’s the fabulous opening credits, which hide tons of treasures. The retro typography mirrors the first Fantastic Four logo from 1961’s Fantastic Four #1, and the swirling cosmic energy sequence subtly forms the number “4” before exploding into the MCU logo.
One of the most touching surprises comes via a cast reunion that only the most die-hard FF historians would clock: Alex Hyde-White, Rebecca Staab, Jay Underwood, and Michael Bailey Smith, who were the leads from the never-released 1994 Fantastic Four movie, appear as blue-collar workers in the Baxter Building’s neighborhood. They even get a small hero moment helping civilians during the final act’s chaos. It’s a small, almost throwaway moment, but for longtime fans, it’s a warm acknowledgment of the franchise’s winding, often bumpy road to the big screen.
Production designer Mark Worthington filled the sets with history. Reed’s lab contains props lifted straight from classic Fantastic Four issues: a miniature rocket labeled “Marvel-1” (a nod to the ship that gave them their powers), a “Pogo Plane” blueprint tacked on the wall, and a glass case containing the Ultimate Nullifier. Fans of the ’60s run know the Nullifier as Galactus’ one-shot “get lost” button, so its presence here is a not-so-subtle tease for what’s to come.
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby themselves make an appearance…well, sort of. In a sequence that plays like a visual Easter egg jackpot, animated versions of the duo appear in a faux 1960s comic book panel, drawing the Fantastic Four. The scene mirrors Fantastic Four #10, where Lee and Kirby literally wrote themselves into the story. It’s a blink-and-you ’ll-miss-it moment, but it’s pure Marvel meta-magic.
Villain fans have a buffet of nods to enjoy. Mole Man gets a name-drop in a throwaway news broadcast about “mysterious underground tremors.” The Mad Thinker’s mugshot appears in a S.H.I.E.L.D. database. Even the Red Ghost’s super-apes cameo in the background of a quantum-lab test, hinting Reed has already studied them. We can confirm John Malkovich did film scenes as the Red Ghost, but unfortunately, they were cut for pacing. Marvel being Marvel, they’ll probably resurface in a Disney+ one-shot. If not, we expect them on the eventual Blu-ray and 4K release. We want the Malkovich cut!
The humor is there, too. In Ben Grimm’s first big brawl, he finally delivers the most famous catchphrase in FF history, “It’s clobberin’ time!” The movie milks it perfectly. The sound design even layers audio from the 1967 Hanna-Barbera cartoon for the first syllable, creating a multi-generational goosebump moment.
Marvel being Marvel, the seeds for future stories are planted everywhere, even in the subtlest places. In a Future Foundation meeting scene, a conspicuously empty chair is reserved for a Latverian delegate, a sly nod to Doctor Doom’s inevitable arrival. And in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it prop gag, Sue Storm appears on the cover of a fictional magazine called Now Politics, which some fans think might even be a deep-cut reference to an old cinematic plan for the Fantastic Four that never came to fruition.
Let’s not forget the mid-credits scene, which is loaded with setup. We flash-forward four years to see Franklin Richards, Reed and Sue’s son, drawing in a notebook. His sketches? A man in a green cloak with a metal mask. We then see Doctor Doom, the back of his cape anyway, appear and look like he’s talking to Franklin. Supposedly, it’s been confirmed that Robert Downey Jr was in the suit! If the chills you felt in the theater are like mine, you know we’re in for something big.
If you stayed until after the credits, like the MCU fan you are, then you’d see the screen burst into vibrant color with a retro animated sequence that pays direct homage to the 1967 Fantastic Four cartoon. Instead of simply recycling old footage, the animators recreated the classic intro shot-for-shot, only now with the updated MCU character designs from First Steps. The animation blends the grainy texture and film scratches of ’60s cel animation with deep, vivid colors and smoother motion. At the same time, a big-band jazz arrangement of Michael Giacchino’s First Steps theme plays over it, giving the sequence a pulpy, triumphant energy.
But perhaps the most significant Easter egg isn’t on-screen; it’s in the production itself. By taking the time to integrate the Fantastic Four naturally into the MCU rather than rushing them in for a crossover, Marvel avoided the mistakes of past versions. This wasn’t about shoehorning them into Avengers: Secret Wars right away. It was about establishing their dynamic, their world, and their history. When they do stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Avengers, X-Men, and Guardians (presumably), it will feel earned.
With First Steps, Marvel didn’t just finally get the Fantastic Four right, but gave the team the kind of big-screen debut that feels both like a homecoming and a mission statement. This film embraces six decades of legacy, winks at the fans who’ve been here since day one, and sets the stage for an MCU future that feels bigger and even more interconnected. Every Easter egg, every sly cameo, every background gag isn’t just there for fan service; it’s Marvel telling you that this corner of the universe is alive, and it matters.
And if the details are this rich in their debut? Just imagine what’s coming when Doctor Doom finally steps out of the shadows. The seeds have been planted, the alliances are forming, and the threats are only getting bigger. First Steps has the power to ignite Marvel’s next great saga. So watch it again, freeze-frame every shot, and start your theories now… because the next chapter will be cosmic.
Source:
JoBlo.com