Opinions are the author’s alone and not endorsed by 2 NEWS and/or Nexstar Media Group. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — The Fantastic Four have officially debuted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, opening the door to more cosmic adventures and a saga against Marvel Studios next big bad Dr.

Maybe “superhero fatigue” is a thing of the past – with DC’s “Superman” still soaring in theaters, Marvel’s “Fantastic Four” reboot is set to join the fun this weekend, with positive momentum.

Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic and Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios' THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2025 MARVEL

For viewers whose curiosity was sparked by The Fantastic Four: First Steps ’ deep dive into Marvel mythology, the good news is that these stories have been explored in even greater detail across thousands of comics.

A Manhattan with a retrofuturist sensibility is among the intriguing visual aspects of the film. We talk with its designers to get the details.

While the current super-quartet of of Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bacharach were present and accounted for, an earlier version of the FF also walked the blue carpet. Thanks to First Steps director Matt Shakman, the lead performers from legendary producer Roger Corman 's ill-fated 1994 adaptation were on the guest list.

But it was a little odd to hear that Marvel also planned to make the Fantastic Four a major part of the MCU’s future. Even though the Fantastic Four have always been prominent in Marvel’s comics, the characters — created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee — had never translated well to the big screen.

Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn star in Marvel's latest superhero pic, in theaters July 24