Spoilers The Fantastic Four: First Steps grade and discussion thread

[The Nightmare Doctor]

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The wait is almost over. The Fantastic Four are arriving in the MCU at long last. The biggest question that's been on everyone's mind since before the film was even announced has always been "Will we finally get a good film that does Marvel's first family justice after decades of failures or will the MCU continue the curse?"

As someone who was never interested in any of the previous iterations (aside from morbid curiosity about the Corman film) due to casting, and known creative choices about the characters and stories, and presentation in the trailers, I feel that the MCU has struck the right chord in handling the team and I've been rooting for the film since the core cast was announced. Here's hoping that faith will be rightly rewarded.

 

[JD]

The trailer have me very optimistic that the Fantastic Four will finally be getting the movie they deserve.

 

[theenglish]

It was the "Final Trailer" that won me over.

 

[Leo Walsh]

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[tomalak301]

Is this movie coming out early in some places? I thought the release day was late July. Seems a little early to have a grading thread, unless the answer to my original question is yes.

 

[The Nightmare Doctor]

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I love the 60s pastiche. Plus, a fair amount of new footage. I'm all the more excited.

Is this movie coming out early in some places? I thought the release day was late July. Seems a little early to have a grading thread, unless the answer to my original question is yes.

The release date is indeed late July (world premiere is on the 21st, wide release in the U.S. on the 25th) so, yes, this thread is a tad earlier, but the buzz around this film is palpable so I think it's warranted.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

I feel that the MCU has struck the right chord in handling the team and I've been rooting for the film since the core cast was announced. Here's hoping that faith will be rightly rewarded.

I am cautiously optimistic about the FF film, thanks to the earlier, undeniably inferior live action versions predating this one. With one the most exciting details being the implications of the post-credits clip from Thunderbolts, and getting the FF roots right by setting it in an alternate, early 1960s, there is much to look forward to. If it strikes the same kind of chord as the 1967 animated series, the FF would have the elements to make a very enjoyable movie.

 

[Mr. Spook]

I am cautiously optimistic about the FF film, thanks to the earlier, undeniably inferior live action versions predating this one. With one the most exciting details being the implications of the post-credits clip from Thunderbolts, and getting the FF roots right by setting it in an alternate, early 1960s, there is much to look forward to. If it strikes the same kind of chord as the 1967 animated series, the FF would have the elements to make a very enjoyable movie.

If they haven't learned how to do it by this time, then I'm done. Having said that, I really like what I've seen so far.

 

[Turtletrekker]

They have really nailed Johnny.

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[Anwar]

They have really nailed Johnny.

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Rats, you beat me to it!

Anyways, it looks like Silver Surfer here is a combination of Silver Surfer, Shalla-Bal and Nova.

In the comics, it was bonding with Alicia Masters that convinced the Surfer to side against Galactus, seems here they'll use Johnny in her place

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

There's also a fairly obscure Herald called Plasma, but I suspect most people would probably rather forget that era of Marvel Comics.

Honestly, I'm kinda hoping that this Surfer is Shalla-Bal as it would take a bit of sting out of sidelining/removing Alicia. YMMV.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

If they haven't learned how to do it by this time, then I'm done. Having said that, I really like what I've seen so far.

One can hope the failings of the past four live action FF films should've provided the "Do the exact opposite of--" template for the new FF movie.

 

[ichab]

As long as nothing important was left on the cutting room floor.

 

[Tuskin38]

your image is broken for me

 

[Samurai8472]

Malkovich!

John Malkovich’s Red Ghost Cut From ‘Fantastic Four’; Director Says ‘It Was Heartbreaking Not to Include Him’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Actor John Malkovich will no longer appear in Marvel’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” as the Red Ghost, director Matt Shakman confirmed to Variety.

variety.com

 

[Morpheus 02]

I am excited for this.... but with the latest trailer... will there be public backlash (within the movie, I mean) against the Fantastic 4....because there can be a strong case by many people that risking the Earth on baby Franklin Richards would be something is a bad move, and that 1 life is not worth billions.

 

[The Nightmare Doctor]

Malkovich!

John Malkovich’s Red Ghost Cut From ‘Fantastic Four’; Director Says ‘It Was Heartbreaking Not to Include Him’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Actor John Malkovich will no longer appear in Marvel’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” as the Red Ghost, director Matt Shakman confirmed to Variety.

variety.com

Like I said in the MCU thread, this is disappointing but not a surprise considering the lack of promotion around Malkovitch after the first teaser. I'm guessing there's an extended prologue about the Fantastic Four and their role in this retro universe and I imagine his sequence made it too long and unwieldy. A shame but hopefully his sequence is released in the future, maybe even released as a One-Shot short.

 

[theenglish]

I am excited for this.... but with the latest trailer... will there be public backlash (within the movie, I mean) against the Fantastic 4....because there can be a strong case by many people that risking the Earth on baby Franklin Richards would be something is a bad move, and that 1 life is not worth billions.

I hope that they don't go that route. I hope it is the reverse and that Galactus needs Franklin to increase his power or something similar. Risking Earth to save countless other worlds would be worth the risk.

 

[JD]

Rats, you beat me to it!

Anyways, it looks like Silver Surfer here is a combination of Silver Surfer, Shalla-Bal and Nova.

In the comics, it was bonding with Alicia Masters that convinced the Surfer to side against Galactus, seems here they'll use Johnny in her place

There's also a fairly obscure Herald called Plasma, but I suspect most people would probably rather forget that era of Marvel Comics.

Honestly, I'm kinda hoping that this Surfer is Shalla-Bal as it would take a bit of sting out of sidelining/removing Alicia. YMMV.

I haven't read it, but there is an alternate universe comic where Shala-Bal is the Silver Surfer instead of Norrin Rad, so I'm thinking that might be where the idea came from.

Like I said in the MCU thread, this is disappointing but not a surprise considering the lack of promotion around Malkovitch after the first teaser. I'm guessing there's an extended prologue about the Fantastic Four and their role in this retro universe and I imagine his sequence made it too long and unwieldy. A shame but hopefully his sequence is released in the future, maybe even released as a One-Shot short.

I've only read the IGN article about Malkovich's interview, but according it that's exactly what happened. It was part of a sequence showing their early days and part of it was the F4 fighting Red Ghost and his minions, but they decided to cut it back and I'm not sure if they cut the whole sequence or just Malkovich's part.

 

[the G-man]

Someone on another board said this and now I can't unsee it: The retro vibe of the trailers (at least the non-Galactus parts) looks less Jack Kirby and more Wes Anderson.

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(Not that Wes Anderson is necessarily a bad thing...)