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If there's one fair critique of superhero movies, it's that they can sometimes end up a bit generic. Clean, smooth visuals, familiar-looking action scenes, and plenty of CGI often mean it can be pretty difficult to tell the latest DC release from Marvel's most recent entry in the MCU.
There are, of course, some notable exceptions, with films like Thor: Ragnarok and Guardians of the Galaxy helping to break the mold, as well as TV shows like WandaVision and Loki, which both embraced their period settings. Now, it seems like The Fantastic Four: First Steps is about to join that list too, based on its super stylish first trailer.
The movie, which is due out in theaters this July, is set in a "1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world" according to Marvel. This is something that's been written all over the marketing materials so far, from that first-look drawing to the unveiling of the film's logo and title – and the new trailer is no different. It starts off by playing with its aspect ratio before introducing the period-specific set designs, costuming, and Space Race-era graphics. Everything is demonstrating that this isn't your usual superhero fare, and the bold direction looks set to make it stand out in a year of busy releases.
Attention to detail
The key to really nailing the aesthetics of a period piece is attention to detail, and this is something director Matt Shakman knows well from his work on WandaVision. That TV show ushered in a new era of Marvel, not just on the small screen, but also in its commitment to setting and style. Shifting weekly from sitcom era to sitcom era, it was beautifully designed and utterly captivating to watch.
This close eye attention is also something woven throughout the first trailer for Fantastic Four too. Costuming details especially stand out, from the team's outfits themselves (which Pedro Pascal explains have a '60s influence) to using a local vintage shop to supply suits. Then there's the sleek design of the Baxter Building, full of era-specific kitchen utensils, patterned rugs, and mid-century modern furniture.
It's something that also holds true to the golden era of Fantastic Four comics too. The team first debuted in 1961 and helped take Marvel from a smaller imprint to a pop culture powerhouse. It's here that Shakman says he's been drawing his greatest inspiration from the movie too. "I'm not so much looking at the other movies, I'm looking at the comics themselves," he told Inverse back in 2023, sharing how he'd been focusing on Stan Lee's take on the characters.
Another major influence is the post World War Two Space Race era that saw the United States and the Soviet Union rushing to become the first nation in space. "The comic was created in the early '60s, really at the same time that the Space Race was starting, so it is infused with that idea of looking to the stars and dreaming of a future where we would be space travelers," he told Entertainment Weekly in 2024. "And so I really wanted to take all of that great stuff from Apollo 11 and just imagine that instead of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, it was the Storms and Ben Grimm and Reed Richards heading off into space."
To boldly go
The distinctive style of The Fantastic Four: First Steps is most evident when you compare it to the other superhero movies we're expecting over the next few months. Take the trailers for Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* – while I think both look like great films, there's nothing at this point that suggests a break from the superhero mold.
Similarly, James Gunn's upcoming Superman had a really good-looking first trailer, which left me intrigued by his take on the new DCU – but it still doesn't have much that makes it stand apart in an increasingly busy genre. The CGI heavy shots and clashes between good and evil look cool, but it doesn't feel like something we've never seen before.
It's an interesting comparison too because just like Superman, the Fantastic Four are some of the most-frequently adapted characters on screen. Yet, despite this being a familiar story to many, this first look feels completely different from how we've seen Marvel's First Family depicted before.
While we're still a way off the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and there's a lot left to be worked out with the movie (including that divisive CGI for The Thing), all signs are pointing to it being a fully-realized, unique new space for the MCU. And if Shakman brings the level of WandaVision to the big screen, I've got a feeling it could be Marvel's most exciting cinema release yet.
Fantastic Four arrives in theaters on July 25. While we wait, check out our guides to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows on the way and our breakdown of how to watch the Marvel movies in order.
