With Marvel releasing a teaser trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, fans look back on the Fantastic Four’s humble beginnings and prior movie adaptations.
From their initial appearance in 1961, the Fantastic Four (FF) have skyrocketed in popularity. As far as heroic exploits go, the four are known for their participation in an experimental space flight gone awry where they are exposed to cosmic radiation, leading to their iconic superpowers. The main cast includes heroes Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards), Invisible Woman (Susan Storm), Human Torch (Johnny Storm), and The Thing (Ben Grimm), along with their fabled nemesis, Doctor Doom (Victor Von Doom). Beyond the scope of unique abilities, additional fan appeal stems from interactions and relationships within the characters. Most FF storylines emphasize the team’s familial dynamic, honing in on how Johnny is reckless and self-absorbed and how it influences his powers; how Ben deals with his own and others’ perceptions of him; how Reed struggles with saving the world and using his intellect for the good of humanity while trying to be a good father and husband; how Susan is more than just a mother or wife; how no matter what happens, they’re always a family in the end, according to Kyle Simmons on Pop Mythology.
As attention and love for the FF franchise grew, so did producers’ desire to adapt into film. Excluding the unreleased 1994 FF film, the public received Fantastic Four (2005), Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), and Fantastic Four (2015), all with their own mixed criticisms. “I actually liked the first movie. They did a really good job of establishing characters’ personalities, especially Johnny; the second one bothered me because Galactus as a cloud really didn’t work for me, and I thought 2015 was the worst, even though there were enjoyable parts like when they worked as a team to defeat Doom at the end,” said Eric Casper, Statistics teacher and comic book fan of 30 years, in regards to each movie respectively.
Marvel’s announcement for the new FF film sets the stage for the series’ fourth film adaptation. From the trailer alone, Marvel is taking on a different approach. According to Maxblizz, the film is set in a 1960’s-inspired retro-futuristic world where Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm must use their powers against their most ferocious foes yet: Galactus and Silver Surfer. The setting’s faithfulness to the original comics has fans excited, along with the charismatic casting in mind, such as Pedro Pascal playing Mister Fantastic and Joseph Quinn playing Johnny Storm. However, some fans have an issue with Silver Surfer’s casting as Julia Garner, considering the original character is male in the comics. Furthermore, the movie carries the pressure of being the fourth movie adaptation. Low reception from the fourth movie attempt would put the FF movie adaptations on hold indefinitely.
Even with concerns in mind, this film admittedly brings about interesting discussion of the famous superhero family once again. “I’m cautiously optimistic it’s going to be the best of any they’ve released. They’re staying true to the comic book Galactus and Silver Surfer and I’m excited,” Casper commented.
