Warning! This article contains spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine.
Summary
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps movie faces increased pressure to succeed in the MCU.
- The casting process for the MCU's Fantastic Four was controversial, with fan-favorite John Krasinski not returning after an MCU debut.
- Joseph Quinn, the most contested cast member, has a tough job measuring up to Chris Evans as Johnny Storm in the MCU, which is harder after Deadpool & Wolverine.
Fantastic Four's cast as their characters.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps' story will take place in the 1960s, with the movie being set in a retro-futuristic New York City. I'm very excited about the Fantastic Four reboot, as the team has a lot of potential to change the MCU for the better. That said, after the awful 2015 movie reboot attempt, as well as the Galactus cloud in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, it is clear that bad interpretations of the team are a thing. The MCU must not go wrong with the Fantastic Four, and the pressure to get it right has increased.
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Chris Evans Returned As Johnny Storm In Deadpool & Wolverine
Fox Marvel Characters Were The Focus
Chris Evans has become famous in the MCU for playing Captain America, with his take on the character leading to one of the most popular roles in superhero movie history. However, years before first playing Steve Rogers, Evans starred as Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, in two Fantastic Four movies. I always loved Evans' take on Johnny Storm, with the actor having the impeccable comedic timing that is needed for the hero. Thanks to the Multiverse Saga, Evans returned to the MCU as the Human Torch, not Captain America, as one of Deadpool & Wolverine's surprise characters.
Evans showed that he was the perfect casting for Johnny Storm all those years ago, with the MCU actor stealing every scene he was in. Evans' Human Torch was hilarious, with the character's R-rated rant in Deadpool & Wolverine's post-credits scene leading to one of the funniest moments in MCU history. While Evans' Johnny Storm was killed by Cassandra Nova, I think it is safe to say that he made an impact, with the former Captain America actor once again showing the audience that he is the definitive casting for the Human Torch.
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The Fantastic Four’s Casting Was A Long & Controversial Process
Marvel Didn't Bring A Fan-Favorite Back
It took quite some time for Marvel Studios to announce the cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, so much so that the movie's lineup managed to leak online a couple of months before it was officially revealed. The casting process for the MCU's Fantastic Four was long and led to several casting rumors emerging. Among those rumors were major names like Emma Stone, Margot Robbie, Adam Driver, Jake Gyllenhaal, and more, with some said to have ed due to pay and others having scheduling issues. I was interested in some of the rumored names.
While James Gunn's Superman reboot was releasing casting information left and right, Marvel remained tight-lipped on the Fantastic Four reboot, which was not the best. Adding to that, the fact that John Krasinski, who was the fan-favorite for Reed Richards and appeared as the hero in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, did not come back for the movie proved itself divisive. While I think Stranger Things star Joseph Quinn will do great as Johnny Storm, the actor's casting was clearly the most contested among the Fantastic Four by fans, and Evans' MCU return will only impact that further.
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Joseph Quinn Has A Tough Job Ahead
While both past live-action Fantastic Four franchises have their fair share of issues, I wouldn't say casting is one of them. There were some exciting choices, especially in the 2000s Fantastic Four movies, and I believe Chris Evans as Johnny Storm is easily the best of the bunch. With Evans back as the Human Torch in Deadpool & Wolverine and being one of the best parts of the movie despite not being in it for long, Joseph Quinn, who is the most contested casting of the MCU's Fantastic Four, will have quite the task.
He has to measure up not only to the best live-action Fantastic Four casting, which was just re-confirmed a year before Quinn's MCU debut, but an actor who is one of the most important parts of the MCU. That's a hell of a thing to put on top of the pressure that The Fantastic Four: First Steps has to succeed, as the movie needs to be better than all Fantastic Four releases that came before it and escape the issues that multiple Multiverse Saga movies have faced. I think the movie could succeed, but it will have to be excellent.
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
- July 25, 2025
- Runtime
- 130 Minutes
- Director
- Matt Shakman
- Writers
- Jeff Kaplan, Josh Friedman, Ian Springer, Eric Pearson, Stan Lee
- Producers
- Jamie Christopher, Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Tim Lewis
Cast
Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic
Vanessa KirbySue Storm / The Invisible Woman
Johnny Storm / Human Torch
Ebon Moss-BachrachBen Grimm / The Thing
The Fantastic Four: First Steps depicts Marvel's First Family navigating their roles as heroes amidst a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world. As they defend Earth from Galactus and the enigmatic Silver Surfer, they must also uphold the strength of their family bond.
- Franchise(s)
- Marvel Cinematic Universe
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Deadpool & Wolverine
8/10- Release Date
- July 26, 2024
- Runtime
- 127 Minutes
- Director
- Shawn Levy
Cast
Deadpool
Wolverine
WHERE TO WATCH
StreamingRENTBUYA follow-up to the highly successful Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The third film will be the first in the franchise to be developed under the Marvel Studios banner following Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox.
- Writers
- Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Shawn Levy, Rob Liefeld, Fabian Nicieza
- Franchise(s)
- Deadpool, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Marvel Movies |
Release Date |
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February 14, 2025 |
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May 2, 2025 |
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July 25, 2025 |
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November 7, 2025 |
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May 1, 2026 |
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May 7, 2027 |
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