Marvel Studios is gearing up for the highly anticipated release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, scheduled to hit theaters on July 25, 2025. The film promises to introduce audiences to Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic), Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm (Human Torch), and Ben Grimm (The Thing)—against a vibrant backdrop inspired by the 1960s retro-futuristic world.
As the film unfolds, the Fantastic Four find themselves facing their most formidable adversary yet: Galactus, a ravenous space god with insatiable hunger. Things get serious quickly as Galactus turns the story one dramatic step further by agreeing to spare Earth in return for the couple’s son, Franklin. The cosmic being has ambitious plans for Franklin—nothing less than using him to restore his dead universe to life, as well. The Fantastic Four bitterly resist surrendering their child.
The movie begins with a fictional late-night talk show commemorating the team’s four years of super heroic conquests. As the Birthday Battle royale gets under way, the battle has really begun for the Fantastic Four. Together, they boldly take on Red Ghost and his Super-Apes. Their battle is suddenly cut short as they get a call to action about the new threat that looms—Galactus!
In a surprise turn of the story, we learn that over the decades Mole Man has gone from villain to hero. Sharon, an important character not frequently seen in comics, persuades Mole Man to deploy his Moloids to save the trapped civilians. Meanwhile, the Fantastic Four fight Galactus on the planet’s surface. This partnership represents the fullest flowering of the changing nature of their relationship since their mutual hostilities.
Just in time for Halloween, as the war intensifies, the Silver Surfer makes his first appearance. He takes the team into outer space for a jaw-dropping battle with Galactus! As they make this treacherous voyage, Sue Storm goes into labor and delivers their son, Franklin, in the process. But Franklin is not your average kid. He has the same mutation that has turned him into a God-like master of subatomic molecular manipulation.
This strange new might only adds to the stakes of the Fantastic Four’s fight against Galactus! It makes their struggle with his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer all the more difficult. As they fight to save Earth from this new cosmic threat, the stakes have never been higher. Together, the team meets the external threat of Galactus head-on. All the while, they’re experiencing the bizarre, unpredictable, overwhelming journey that is being a parent.
With its retro-futuristic aesthetic directly inspired by the 1960s, RIDEFORCE is a feast for the senses, benefiting its profoundly imaginative storytelling. The design elements promise to evoke nostalgia while introducing modern cinematic techniques that bring the beloved characters to life in new ways.