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What are the best Fantastic Four movies? It’s a good question because, arguably, there hasn’t been a good one. Until now. Fantastic Four: First Steps proves the old adage true: er, fifth time’s a charm? The first iteration of the iconic superhero team in the MCU, Fantastic Four, may be new for audiences, but the characters created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby have had a notoriously difficult path to the screen.
Starting in 1994 with a Roger Corman version that was never released, two mid-2000s movies, and a 2015 movie that is considered one of the worst superhero movies of all time (though there are things to recommend), it’s been a general rule of thumb that Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben are cursed when it comes to bringing them to the big screen.
So is the curse broken? Is First Steps the Fantastic Four that finally gets it right? To figure out which Fantastic Four movie is best – and which is worst – read on for our rankings of all five movies, in what is likely the most confusing ranker of all time because they all have basically the same name.
Article continues belowEvery Fantastic Four movie ranked, starting with....
5. Fantastic Four
Year: 2015
Director: Josh Trank
Has there been a more cursed movie than Josh Trank’s 2015 take on Fantastic Four? Probably, but the reportedly heavily troubled production and post-production of the film says otherwise. Though it boasts a strong cast with Miles Teller, Jamie Bell, Kate Mara, and Michael B. Jordan taking on the titular four, and Trank was coming off similar grounded superhero material – to great acclaim – in Chronicle, this movie is a complete fizzle of a clunky script, choppy reshoot wigs, and a general misunderstanding of what works about the team, and a superhero universe.
To be fair, there are some interesting bits in there. The idea of the Four’s transformation as body horror is an odd fit, but there’s an interesting kernel of an idea there. And Michael B. Jordan just can’t not be charming as The Human Torch. But the uninteresting and nonsensical plot about harvesting energy from a desolate CGI alternate universe doesn’t work, and it all fizzles out in a busy brawl with Doom (a wasted Toby Kebbell). It’s definitely not fantastic, and you definitely do want them to "say that again."
4. Fantastic Four
Year: 2005
Director: Tim Story
There are so many more extreme sports in this movie than you might expect, given Johnny Storm (Chris Evans) loves X-Games and skiing with future Noovie host Maria Menounos, whose character is so fleshed out her name is [checks notes] Sexy Nurse.
Despite all that, Evans is a perfect fit for Johnny, and Michael Chiklis is excellent as The Thing. Jessica Alba and Ioan Gruffudd, much less so as Sue Storm and Reed Richards, but a plot that has them mostly hanging out inside and not using their powers – except when Sue has to get naked for no reason – does them no favors. The late Julian McMahon hams it up well in the movie, but is marred by not being given material worthy of Doctor Doom, one of the greatest villains of all time.
3. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Year: 2007
Director: Tim Story
Story’s sequel is in many ways worse than the first movie, but we’re putting it above in the list for two reasons. First: the best sequence in either of these mid-2000s films is when Johnny chases The Silver Surfer (Doug Jones/Laurence Fishburne) through New York City, ending in a showdown in space. And the wedding of Reed and Sue is a faithful reproduction of the event from the comics, down to Stan Lee not being allowed to attend the event. That’s it! Otherwise, pretty, pretty bad.
One silver lining: Matt Shakman and the filmmaking team behind First Steps went out of their way to do things in a "different way" from previous adaptations in the new movie, which may explain why we’ve got Julia Garner’s Shalla-Bal instead of this film’s Surfer, Norrin Radd. A big improvement, if you ask us.
2. The Fantastic Four
Year: 1994
Director: Roger Corman
While never officially released, the 1994 Roger Corman-produced Fantastic Four movie is the stuff of legend. Made only to retain the rights to the property, despite a promotional tour and trailer released in theaters, this movie never made its way to cinemas proper. And here’s the thing: it’s not good, exactly. It has a microscopic budget, and Corman is well known for producing B-movies on a shoestring budget, not superhero blockbusters.
It is exactly what you expect it to be, a cheesy movie with a janky Thing costume, terrible sets, and inconsistent framing. But. But! Taken on its own merits, it’s a charming midnight movie that actually gets what the Fantastic Four is about better than any of the previous three on this list. The actors are giving their all throughout, and the music by David Wurst and Eric Wurst is excellent. Don’t expect a good movie, but it’s one that should be shown at late-night showings in movie theaters everywhere on a double bill with First Steps, because it’s a whole lot of fun.
1. The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Year: 2025
Director: Matt Shakman
First Steps clears the extremely low bar of "best Fantastic Four movie ever," but it’s also a pretty great movie in its own right. Starring Vanessa Kirby, Pedro Pascal, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn, the cast actually channel their characters from the comics (mostly), the movie’s retro-futuristic setting looks incredible, and there’s a strong and clear emotional themes running throughout about what it’s like to become a parent.
Not only that, but First Steps finally puts a comics-accurate Galactus on screen for the first time, after Rise of the Silver Surfer whiffed it with a laughable interstellar gas cloud. Smart, funny, and refreshing, First Steps proves that if you take 30 years and five tries, sometimes you can finally get it right.
Read our team's Fantastic Four: First Steps review for our full verdict.
Fantastic Four: First Steps is in theaters now. For more, check out our breakdown of the Fantastic Four: First Steps post-credits scenes, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps ending explained.
