Spoilers for The Fantastic Four: First Steps are below!
Recent criticisms surrounding the MCU have influenced change at Marvel, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps shows how their strategy has pivoted. The most recent entry features Marvel’s First Family in its MCU debut, with reviews easily squashing the lackluster critical reception of past Fantastic Four films. Fans and critics have applauded the cast, featuring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Galactus’ comic book-accurate appearance.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is also bringing the MCU some significant numbers, both at the box office and with reviewers. Still, it is a different style of film than the MCU has offered in recent outings, which is indicative of what Marvel’s future strategy may look like. Following criticisms about the massive franchise losing fans, The Fantastic Four: First Steps looks to be a direct response to what many called the MCU’s biggest problem.
Related
Is Ironheart’s Long-Awaited Big Bad Set For A Huge Supernatural MCU Event?
The introduction of Ironheart’s long-awaited big bag may have larger implications if rumors about an upcoming MCU supernatural event prove true.
The MCU earned its epic franchise status over the years of methodical world-building and various releases, featuring an eclectic cast of Marvel heroes and villains. However, following Avengers: Endgame, which brought a close to the long-running Infinity Saga, the MCU has had trouble finding its footing while over-saturating its own franchise with more content than casual viewers can handle. While hardcore Marvel Comics fans may still feel at home in the vast array of content that spans numerous characters and even a multiverse, the casual fans who would show up for the big theatrical releases have begun to diminish, as there is too much to follow.
When the MCU began rolling out Disney+ shows, fans were initially delighted with unique shows like WandaVision and Loki. However, things quickly became cluttered, as many characters began receiving shows, like Moon Knight, She-Hulk, and Ironheart, with varying degrees of success that began to taint the brand. For every entry that had fans excited, like Hawkeye, there were shows that had many wondering why they were greenlit, like Echo. Some shows even featured an apparent lack of vision towards the franchise and squandered the source material, like the poorly received Secret Invasion.
While shows like Daredevil: Born Again have thrilled fans with a return to form in TV shows, 2025 also saw the release of Ironheart, which was fine in most regards. However, Ironheart also debuted a massive villain the MCU had teased for years, and it felt like too little, too late, with casual viewers unaware that it even happened. It feels like a clear impact due to the franchise’s criticism, which also extends to theatrical releases.
Captain America: Brave New World had a troubled production, with various reshoots and new elements added. It also underutilized the MCU debut of Giancarlo Esposito, who could have been great, but was relegated to what felt like tacked-on scenes, and spoiled its finale in the marketing. Brave New World opened to middling reviews and underperformed at the box office, especially compared to past Captain America films. It was meant to be a test of the MCU’s capabilities in rebranding a character, and Captain America: Brave New World missed the mark.
Thunderbolts* was actually met with a stellar critical and audience reception, boasting some of the MCU’s best reviews in recent memory. The movie took some of the MCU’s anti-hero characters and put them into a team-up film where they could turn their personal pain and flaws into the strengths that saved the day in an unconventional way. However, despite the movie’s exceptional reviews, Thunderbolts* didn’t pull in the box office numbers that Marvel was hoping for. While critics would like to point to the team’s roster and the state of the MCU as contributing factors as to why Thunderbolts* was a misfire, it shows that Marvel still knows how to make an impactful and unique film this late in their run.
One of the most significant problems behind Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* is their reliance on past events and MCU lore. The Thunderbolts* were assembled from several other projects throughout the MCU, and the trauma each was enduring came from those stories. Brave New World follows the story of past films and TV shows, proving to be an assemblage that didn’t offer the appeal it should have. While the movies can work on their own, they are more satisfying experiences if the viewer has full context.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the most recent entry in the MCU, and with over 30 films in the franchise, the follow-up to Thunderbolts* would be expected to connect to the greater overall story. However, the new Fantastic Four is an actual standalone movie. It tells the story of an already-known Fantastic Four team on an alternate Earth from the current MCU. While it already feels like it may enter convoluted territory, it holds no bearing on the story, and the film requires no prior knowledge of other MCU installments or even the characters. What was once their most significant problem has been made obsolete in The Fantastic Four, which eliminates the barrier to entry for casual audiences.
First Steps still features an end credit scene that connects the movie to the greater MCU plans, but barely, and it technically doesn’t have to. The end credit scene could make contextual sense to The Fantastic Four, even without the MCU’s plans for Avengers: Doomsday in active production. Therefore, The Fantastic Four: First Steps looks to be a response to past criticisms, as it requires zero homework on the part of the audience to enjoy it, yet it still offers the tease of more for comic fans who can’t wait to see the characters alongside the Avengers. While the characters’ future is unknown following the MCU’s major event films, The Fantastic Four: First Steps could outline the way forward for the upcoming Marvel superhero projects.
July 25, 2025
115 minutes
Pedro Pascal
Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic
Vanessa Kirby
Sue Storm / The Invisible Woman
