As a cinema enthusiast and Marvel fan, I’m excited to embark on an unprecedented journey with “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.” This film boldly ventures into uncharted territory for the Fantastic Four franchise – the 1960s! Drawing inspiration from the iconic comic books by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, who pioneered the modern Marvel Universe through Fantastic Four #1 in 1961, this Marvel Studios reboot promises a visually captivating experience.
The story unfolds against the lively canvas of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world – one where the Future Foundation is leading the charge for an innovative new chapter in an alternate timeline Marvel Cinematic Universe. This cinematic adventure promises to be a thrilling ride that pays homage to the original comics while offering something fresh and exciting for both longtime fans and newcomers alike!
At Comic-Con 2024, director Matt Shakman explained that they’re not simply recreating the ’60s; rather, they’re blending a nostalgic ’60s vibe with elements of something entirely new. He described it as a mix of familiar ’60s elements and aspects never seen before.
Previously, I was acquainted with the beginnings of the Fantastic Four in the 2005 and 2015 films titled “Fantastic Four” and “Fant4stic”, respectively. However, the first Marvel-produced “FF” movie isn’t an origin story; instead, it introduces us to the Fab Four – 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) – who are already established as Marvel’s pioneering family of superhero scientists, explorers, adventurers, and imaginauts.
What makes the Sixties significant? It’s because the Space Race and the Cold War competition between the United States and the Soviet Union served as the catalyst for the creation of the Fantastic Four – a team formed from four individuals who were exposed to cosmic rays during an early space test flight, aimed at outdoing the USSR in reaching space first. However, the core essence of the Fantastic Four lies in their unadulterated, timeless optimism.
In simpler terms, Shakman expressed that for him, the ’60s weren’t just about appealing looks but rather the spirit of optimism. He sees it as a time when people gazed up at the stars and dared to dream about space travel. It was a period that conveyed the message that with the right attitude and mindset, one can accomplish anything – much like the core essence of the Fantastic Four.
Back in the day, I found myself watching “First Steps,” a movie that was groundbreaking for being the first to envision the Fantastic Four in their original ’60s setting. Although it may seem like the concept originated with Marvel Studios, it actually predates them. Peyton Reed, who later brought his touch to the MCU’s “Ant-Man” films, had previously been working on a period-piece version of the 2005 “Fantastic Four” movie when 20th Century Fox still held the rights (these rights were eventually reacquired by Disney-owned Marvel in 2019).
In 2018, Reed shared that he was working on a movie at Fox when they were planning to produce Fantastic Four. He went in and presented his idea to Tom Rothman, who was the CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment at the time. For about a year, he developed the project, making adjustments with different scenarios and writers. One key concept was setting it in the 1960s.
Reed mentioned that his unreleased “Fantastic Four” film shared a comparable structure with another movie featuring the alternative Fab Four – the 1964 musical comedy “A Hard Day’s Night,” which showcased the Beatles.
Reed expressed that they weren’t planning to delve into the backstory, instead opting for an immediate introduction in Downtown Manhattan. It was a thrilling concept, he said, and this was around 2002 or 2003, well before the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was established. Back then, Reed felt that Fox wasn’t going to pull it off successfully.
As per my understanding following Reed’s perspective, it appeared that Fox along with producers Constantin Film and 1492 Pictures aimed to create a B-movie from the project. Given this direction, I chose to distance myself from the production. Eventually, the Fantastic Four made their way onto the silver screen in the 2005 film directed by Tim Story, which was set in contemporary times. Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis portrayed a team of astronauts who experienced cosmic radiation and united to utilize their abilities to counteract the menacing electrical villain, Doctor Doom, played by Julian McMahon.
In the upcoming film, the Fantastic Four encounter their toughest test yet according to the plot summary. As they struggle to reconcile their heroic duties with their strong familial ties, they find themselves protecting Earth from a voracious celestial being named Galactus and his mysterious emissary, the Silver Surfer. Unfortunately, Galactus’ plan to consume the entire planet, along with everyone on it, becomes a deeply personal matter.
Marvel Studios’ movie titled “The Fantastic Four: Initial Journey” featuring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Natasha Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser, and John Malkovich will hit theaters on July 25. In this film, Julia Garner plays Silver Surfer, while Ralph Ineson takes on the role of Galactus.
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2025-02-04 04:40