This summer, comic book movie fans are being absolutely spoiled, as not only has James Gunn relaunched DC Studios with Superman but the Marvel Cinematic Universe is launching Phase Six with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. With Superman out and nearing $300 million worldwide, there’s some breathing room for The Fantastic Four to get some attention. And now that the release is less than a week away, first reactions have arrived. So how did it fare after the initial screening?
Based on the first reactions, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is just the sort of spectacle we expect in summer fare and what we used to expect from Marvel. As some reviews have noted, this is a must-see in IMAX, with awesome VFX and a scope that urges such a viewing.
These reviews (and the ones below) are prime examples of why it shows we shouldn’t have been quite as ready to write Marvel off, as The Fantastic Four: First Steps seems to be a genuine resurgence for them. Granted, they were looking to be on the upswing with Thunderbolts* but we’ve known better than to get our hopes up too much. But with First Steps, it’s apparent that Marvel has gotten Phase Six off of the ground in fantastic fashion.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps will hit theaters on July 25th, paving the way for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Six which will also include three seriously promising films: next summer’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day, 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars, a lineup that could easily make it the best phase yet.
And while we know that the runtimes for at least Doomsday and Secret Wars will be excessive (who isn’t expecting nearly three hours?), The Fantastic Four: First Steps surprised many fans when it was announced that it hits 116 minutes, which feels like almost nothing – although we’ll evidently want to stick around for the entire duration, as there is a surprise during the end credits. So, judging by the early reactions, it’s clear that director Matt Shakman and company have made excellent use of time.
What do you think of the initial reactions to The Fantastic Four: First Steps? Will you be checking it out on opening weekend?
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