‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ First Reactions Call It “One of the Best Things Marvel Has Ever Made”

Early reviews hail Marvel’s retro reboot as “visually stunning,” “deeply emotional,” and a triumphant new chapter for the MCU’s First Family.

Marvel Studios’ long-awaited reboot, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, has officially screened for select press—and if the first reactions are any indication, Marvel may have just delivered one of its greatest triumphs in years.

Early social media reviews are brimming with praise for the film’s bold visuals, confident storytelling, and standout performances from the new core cast: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. Critics are also highlighting Matt Shakman’s direction and the film’s unique retro-futurist aesthetic, comparing it favorably to both Jack Kirby’s classic comics and sci-fi spectacles like Interstellar.

“This is an intriguing and satisfying first step for Marvel’s new team,” wrote Matt Neglia of Next Best Picture. “Easily the best depiction of this quartet on-screen to date,” he added, celebrating Shakman’s “snappy, confident storytelling” and the “delightful” tone.

Entertainment reporter Brandon Davis called the film “one of the best things Marvel has ever done,” praising Galactus as “awesome” and the visual effects as “often immaculate.” He added: “Cosmically and on Earth, Matt Shakman dropped a visual feast.”

Praise also rolled in from People journalist Sharareh Drury, who highlighted the emotional resonance of the story alongside its technical splendor. “Stunning visuals, a moving story, witty banter and epic action,” she wrote, singling out Pedro Pascal as a pitch-perfect Reed Richards and Vanessa Kirby as a standout Sue Storm: “She’s a shooting star.”

More standout reactions include:

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Directed by WandaVision helmer Matt Shakman, First Steps reintroduces Marvel’s First Family in a retro-stylized 1960s setting and pits them against the cosmic threat of Galactus. Rounding out the ensemble are Ralph Ineson, Julia Garner, Natasha Lyonne, Sarah Niles, and Paul Walter Hauser. While John Malkovich was originally set to appear as Red Ghost, the character was ultimately cut due to runtime constraints—part of what Shakman called a “heartbreaking” but necessary editorial decision.

With The Fantastic Four: First Steps set to release in theaters on July 24, all signs point to a triumphant MCU reset, and perhaps even a new critical high-water mark for the franchise.