Where the Marvel Universe is heading: Fantastic Four and the next chapter
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has always thrived on reinvention. Each new phase introduces fresh characters, shifts in tone, and bold experiments in visual style. With Fantastic Four: First Steps, released worldwide in July, Marvel signals both a return to its roots and a step into new territory.
The film places Marvel’s “First Family” – Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm / Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm / Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm / The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) – at the centre of a retrofuturistic world inspired by the aesthetics of the 1960s. It blends nostalgic design with high-stakes storytelling, positioning the team not just as superheroes but as a family navigating the balance between personal bonds and global responsibility.
This release matters for more than just its story. It offers clues to where the Marvel universe may be heading next: towards a stronger focus on intimacy, identity, and atmosphere alongside cosmic spectacle. The new film marks a tonal shift that recalls Marvel’s earlier experiments in variety and visual distinction, before its universe settled into a more standardised look.
In the review that follows, the strengths and weaknesses of Fantastic Four: First Steps are explored in detail. Why does it feel like a breath of fresh air for the MCU? How does Sue Storm redefine the role of a superhero in a major franchise? And where does the film stumble in its execution?
For clarity, the review is divided into two sections: a spoiler-free overview and a spoiler-filled analysis.
Spoiler-free section
One of the strongest aspects of the new Fantastic Four, noticeable at first glance, is its visual component.
The world the heroes inhabit is filmed in a retro aesthetic infused with science-fiction elements. For example, the team has advanced technology — rockets for space travel, a robot, signals from space recorded on vinyl and played back on record players. Instead of holographic displays (like Tony Stark used), Richards uses massive monitors styled like old televisions. The retro aesthetic is reinforced by the production design — from the cars on the streets, which look straight out of 1940s advertisements, to the textures of fabrics and the heroes’ costumes. Everything in this world conveys coziness and a sense of the “good old days.”
That warmth is emphasised by colour choices. Blue, the team’s official colour, appears throughout the city, while shades of yellow and cream create a sense of safety and comfort. This aesthetic naturally ties into the film’s central theme — the value of family, safety, and protecting one another.
The heroes’ world looks beautiful, clean, and home-like. The Fantastic Four are not only a family among themselves, but they also feel connected to the city’s people — a theme the film explicitly states later.
This visual approach also plays a significant role in the context of the MCU. In recent years, Marvel has been criticised for making films that all look the same. At the start of the MCU, each film had its own unique style and atmosphere (Iron Man, Captain America: The First Avenger, Thor — all distinct both visually and tonally). But over the last decade, most Marvel films have adopted a standardised look: bright cosmic colours, rapid editing, and uniform camerawork.
The only exception was Thunderbolts, with its grey palette fitting its themes of mental health, depression, and suppression.
In this sense, Fantastic Four is a breath of fresh air — stylish, colourful, and a delight to watch. The feeling is similar to how platforms in other entertainment industries distinguish themselves by offering variety and originality. For instance, in online gaming, sites like ZetCasino have earned attention by diversifying their catalogue and focusing on immersive experiences rather than sticking to a single formula.
Spoiler section
Fantastic Four: First Steps begins dynamically. Through retro-style TV montages, viewers are quickly introduced to who the team is, their powers, past battles, and why the public trusts them.
The film also opens with a personal milestone — Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) and Reed Richards are expecting a baby.
This news is both joyful and troubling. Since their powers came from cosmic radiation, no one knows how it might affect the child. Reed, pragmatic and science-driven, runs endless tests (all inconclusive). Sue, meanwhile, embodies the empathetic, calm side of parenthood. This contrast escalates into sharp conflict between them.
After a space mission to confront Galactus, the devourer of worlds, the heroes learn he will spare Earth only if they give him the child.
This moral dilemma — sacrifice the baby to save the planet or perish together — creates genuine drama. Reed coldly admits the decision is “pathetically, ethically, executively logical,” which devastates Sue. Their clash leads to her telling him that his nature — overly pragmatic and logical — is harming her and the baby. A powerful moment that sadly vanishes almost immediately.
Later, Sue confronts protesters demanding that the child be surrendered to save the world. She powerfully declares that while they will protect humanity, they will not sacrifice their family.
But in the end, the only option is to use the baby as bait for Galactus, a dangerous plan. This sparks another emotional clash between Reed and Sue. Yet just moments later, they are calmly strolling with a stroller, discussing strategy. Here, the film’s biggest flaw becomes clear — its pacing and rhythm.
While there are standout moments (Sue giving birth in space near a black hole, her heated argument with Reed, and her sacrificial death in the finale), they feel scattered and disconnected, like waves rather than a coherent narrative arc.
Johnny’s storyline (with Julia Garner as Silver Surfer) fares better, developing into a subplot about trust and morality. Their chemistry is surprisingly strong despite her CGI-heavy role. Ben, however, gets the least attention — his subplot is barely developed.
The film’s highlights are the encounters with Galactus, the birth scene in space, Johnny’s emotional moment with Silver Surfer, and Sue’s final sacrifice. But everything between these set-pieces often drags, leaving the movie feeling chaotic — full of strong moments, but lacking cohesion.
Final thoughts
One of the film’s strongest assets is Sue Storm and Vanessa Kirby’s performance. Notably, Sue becomes the first pregnant superhero in a major blockbuster to give birth on-screen — a bold choice.
Unexpectedly, Fantastic Four: First Steps becomes Marvel’s most feminist film. In the finale, Sue is the strongest hero, defeating a cosmic deity out of maternal love and determination to protect her son.
Depicting maternal love as the ultimate superpower is dramatic and unusual for Marvel, whose universe has mostly centred on muscle-bound men in spandex.
In conclusion, Fantastic Four: First Steps is a film full of fresh ideas, powerful scenes, and a new thematic focus on motherhood and emotional choices. Yet its uneven pacing keeps it from becoming truly great. It’s a movie that experiments bravely with family and emotional stakes but struggles to fully hold itself together.
The editorial unit
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