Natasha Lyonne's character in Fantastic Four may not be lifted straight from the comics, but her name is a wholesome tribute to someone very close to a Marvel Comics legend.

First Steps opening this weekend on July 26, 2025, let’s make sense of this super family for newcomers heading to the theater—it's a fun way to get ready for the adventure!

The Fantastic Four was Marvel Comics first superhero team and their villains stretch back decades, but here are the most powerful.

While there have been tributes to Jack Kirby over the years, with everything from the Thor: Ragnarok logo being in honor of him or Ant-Man featuring a cool reference to him, The Fantastic Four: First Steps took things to the next level when celebrating the late Marvel artist.

While cinema-goers have responded enthusiastically to many films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the history of the Fantastic Four is less heralded.

First Steps" brings a new supergroup into the MCU while a post-credits scene gives a taste of an iconic supervillain. Spoilers!

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.

That might sound like no big deal, but after 2023’s “The Marvels,” this spring’s fourth “Captain America” movie and “Thunderbolts*” all underperformed by Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) standards, the new “Fantastic Four” may offer broader audience appeal by not pulling from other franchises.