Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps will begin streaming November 5 on Disney+.
The film earned about $521 million worldwide, a solid box office result for most studios, but weak when compared to other Marvel films. It features Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Marvel’s First Family. It opened with $117.6 million domestically, marking the best debut for director Matt Shakman, so there’s that.
Set in a world inspired by 1960s retro-futurism, the story follows Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm as they face a cosmic threat known as a space god and his mysterious herald. This version of Marvel’s team continues Disney’s recent trend of taking liberties with legacy characters. In this case, the Silver Surfer has been gender-swapped, a move that stirred debate among long-time fans who viewed the original as one of the studio’s most iconic creations.
Pedro Pascal portrays Reed Richards, adding another high-profile credit to his year already crowded with roles across television and film. Some reviewers have praised his performance, although others argue that his growing presence in major franchises has led to fatigue among audiences wary of overexposure. Pascal has also drawn criticism for his outspoken online comments, which at times have alienated parts of the fan base that helped elevate Marvel’s success over the past decade.
Directed by Matt Shakman of WandaVision fame, the film was written by Eric Pearson, Josh Friedman, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer, with additional work by Peter Cameron. It was produced by Kevin Feige for Marvel Studios.
Despite its financial performance, the film’s creative decisions reflect Disney’s ongoing struggle to balance broad appeal with respect for established fan expectations. Viewers will soon see whether the streaming launch on Disney+ renews interest or further fuels frustration with the studio’s shifting approach to the Marvel brand.
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Todd Fisher
Todd lives in Northern California with "the wife," "the kids," "the dogs," "that cat," and he occasionally wears pants. His upcoming release, "Are You Woke Enough Yet?", is the culmination of too much time on social media and working in the film industry.
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