The Beat’s Fantastic Four Movie Roundtable: Part One

Welcome to The Beat’s Fantastic Four (2025) movie roundtable. Many of us on staff have had the opportunity to see the latest theatrical offering from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now, we’ve returned from Earth-828 and gathered back at Stately Beat Manor to discuss.

In part one of our two-part roundtable, we discuss the movie generally, the Earth-828 setting and our favorite scenes and characters. Be sure and let us know what you thought of the newest MCU flick, either here in the comment section or over on social media.

This article includes copious SPOILERS for Fantastic Four.

What did you think of Fantastic Four?

D. MORRIS: I loved every minute of it. The Fantastic Four is my favorite Marvel superhero team, Ben Grimm is the greatest Marvel character, and I have had a Four logo shirt for years like some people have Superman and Batman shirts. Look I cried with every trailed Marvel I had tears of joy watching this film and seeing these characters I’ve loved for so long come to life. That the movie was this big love letter to the optimism of the Space Age and the work of Jack Kirby filled me with a joy that I can’t adequately put into words. It was worth the wait. 

DEANNA DESTITO: I loved it. The best adaptation of FF by far. I loved the retro energy, and the casting was perfect for me. 

GEORGE CARMONA 3rd: It hit all the beats that we needed, weird science, family adventuring, cosmic calamities, and blending of a serious movie with a lighthearted edge. The retro look was cool, but the Kirby aesthetic with the Galactus design is what really sold it for me. 

DEAN SIMONS: I liked it. It managed to get the fundamentals right. It wasn’t without its flaws, particularly in the second half, but it was the best attempt at the FF I have seen on the big screen (admittedly that is a rather low bar).

JEREMY FUSCALDO: I enjoyed the film very much. So far, it is the best adaptation of Marvel’s First Family that we have had in the history of their film adaptations. It was a nice blend between family adventure, science fiction and the retro futurism of the 1960s. It honored the visual aesthetic of Kirby’s comic style while remaining culturally relevant to a modern audience and this promising franchise is off to a good start.

GREGORY PAUL SILBER: I didn’t love it, but I liked it. LIke with Thunderbolts* earlier this year, I appreciated that while there was certainly levity, it doesn’t constantly undercut the drama with weak quips in that cloying way that plagues so many other MCU films. It also had a refreshing set of wonder that’s missing from many recent blockbusters. The cast was great, although I do have some quibbles with the way they were written. Thematically, it was a bit heavy-handed, too. We get it, Sue’s a mom!

OLLIE KAPLAN: I’m going to say something controversial: Thunderbolts* was better. It struck the right balance of humor and action, whereas the biggest joke in First Steps was about Ben Grimm refusing to say “It’s clobberin’ time!”

One of my least favorite tropes in comic book movies is the need to make fun of the source material. Like, most of us are fans of the OG comic books in some form or another, and it just sits… well, uncomfortably, like they are making fun of the fans that put money in the studio’s pocket. It reminded me of the Wolverine joke from the 2000 film X-Men, where he says, “What, would you prefer yellow spandex?” Hell yeah, I would! Wolverine is a gay icon because he’s a sexy bear in TIGHT, yellow spandex. Also, by and large, First Steps seemed to embrace the vibe of the 1960s comics, so this joke felt incongruous with the rest of the film.

BILLY HENEHAN: I thought it was good and entertaining, but I wouldn’t tell anyone to rush out and see it. If I had waited for it come to Disney+, I don’t think I would have regretted it. I think I need to be okay with most comic book movies being just fine, and start accepting that I won’t often catch the rush I felt during The Dark Knight, Avengers: End Game and Spider-Man: No Way Home. I remember during The Dark Knight realizing there was only 20 or so minutes left in the movie, and wishing I could just inhabit this movie forever. With Fantastic Four, when it ended, I thought, that was fine.

AVERY KAPLAN: I thought it was okay. I think I may have had high expectations for it, especially since WandaVision is my favorite thing to come out of the MCU. While Matt Shakman did a fine job directing Fantastic Four, I wish the script had been a little meatier. Also, while I like the idea of setting the movie in a parallel timeline, I missed the connections with other MCU movies. Overall, Thunderbolts* is my favorite superhero movie this year.

OLLIE KAPLAN: I also had high hopes because of Shakman (and I did love how FF referenced his previous work), but maybe to make it as good as WandaVision, he needed his other creative half on that series, Jac Schaeffer. I don’t know the behind-the-scenes make-up of this film, but it could have used more women (at least from what I can see on the IMDB page). The mom story didn’t hit with me because it felt poorly written, but, thematically, I liked the idea of a mom who has to be a mom to her child and the world. And going to shoehorn this in here because, in my opinion, Marvel Studios is having a we fired Victoria Alonso problem. She brought some heart and soul to these powerful superwomen of Marvel, and I miss that voice.

First Steps most definitely didn’t pass the Bechdel Test, even though its primary focus was on Sue. 

TAIMUR DAR: Without a doubt, it’s the best Fantastic Four movie ever made and the best Marvel film released this year. But let’s be honest, that’s not saying much. In all seriousness, much like Avery I thought First Steps was perfectly fine. A friend of mine perfectly described it as “cozy.” It certainly has its moments, but I don’t think it reached the same heights as Superman which left a bigger impression on me. Particularly the supporting cast, so many characters served very little or no purpose and could have been cut out most notably Natasha Lyonne as Ben Grimm’s love interest who has maybe five minutes of screentime. Compare that to Robot #4 played by Alan Tudyk in Superman who has the same amount of screentime and yet is a much more memorable character.  

JUSTIN GUERRERO: It’s an okay film. Not the BEST comic book film of all time, but one of the best Fantastic Four films so far. Like Avery, I went in with very high expectations especially after watching the recent Superman film. I love the world in this film and the lore, it does make me sad that it had to be set in another universe and in the past for this story to work and not set within the main MCU timeline. But I will give it a pass since for the majority of the film, that thought didn’t cross my mind as much as I once had. I have minor nitpicks with the film, mostly in regards to some of the pacing and some story beats feeling a bit off, like something was missing in the film that would have added better clarity or context. Could be from those scenes that were supposedly cut from the film, but until we see those deleted scenes, I won’t know for sure. I really do admire everyone’s performance and also some of the VFX in the film being a mix of CGI but also miniatures upon closer inspection which is really great to see at this day and age. 

LAWRENCE MARABLE:  It was fun! I enjoyed the cast, the chemistry, the look of it all, gosh, especially the look of it all. The Fantastic Four World feels leagues more interesting to explore than the mundane world of the MCU, so I’m sad we may never see this place again. I love the suits, Pedro Pascal as Reed nails his guilt and shame, Joseph Quinn as Johnny knows how to play an actual character instead of a flirt, Vanessa Kirby as Sue steals the show with some earnest acting, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach is a great Ben, even if he has nothing to do. I do wish the script had stronger character arcs and tighter, more impactful moments that would have resonated more deeply with me, but where it did hit, it hit well. I will say there’s a decision at the end in the after credits that reminds me of something I’m not looking forward to with the rest of the MCU and the Fantastic Four. 

HEIDI MACDONALD: Kind of a no from me, dawg. It was perfectly pleasant, but the script was so weak, and so much was left on the cutting room floor to make it two hours – why? They basically relied on strong production design (take a bow, Kasra Farahani) and an incredibly charming cast to power through a script that was full of holes. The fall off in the second week is the tell. I kind of feel bad for Marvel. They tried so hard, but they are still kind of basic as filmmakers. 

TAIMUR DAR: To Heidi’s point about the second week drop, I do find it very telling that that first weekend especially during SDCC, everybody was talking about Fantastic Four: First Steps. But now it’s almost like crickets. Again, I have to contrast it with the new Superman film where weeks later I’m still seeing fanart and hearing “I’m a Punk Rocker” at least once a day on social media.

What did you think of setting Fantastic Four on Earth-828?

D. MORRIS: The world of Earth-828 was incredible! I was a little wary when it was announced that this wouldn’t take place in the MCU we’ve grown to know and love over the last 18 years. But the Fantastic Four were Cold Warriors when they debuted and putting them in a world of “Space Age cassette futurism” was such a smart choice. Apparently, Kevin Feige said at D23 last year that Walt Disney’s exhibit at the 1963 World’s Fair inspired the world, and that was so apparent. It’s a world where the FF seemed to make everything better, and you wonder what impact they’ll have post-Secret Wars on the MCU. 

DEANNA DESTITO: I think it works, and it obviously allows for multiverse opportunities where the team can cross over into different Earths and different times.

DEAN SIMONS: It was such a relief not having to deal with the weight of so much MCU history. It gave the movie room to world build and get pretty creative in the visual department. 

GEORGE CARMONA 3rd: Loved the nod to Kirby, linking this Earth to his Birthday, a really classy gesture for them to do. I’ve seen it twice, and I’m curious as to the time setting of it all, because I can’t remember there being an exact date shown. There are music cues that could put it in the ’60s, but because things are so different in that universe, it could just be that that is what their 2025 looks like. 

JEREMY FUSCALDO: I touched upon this before: but the film’s setting was a nice blend of Kirby’s visual aesthetic while utilizing the 1960s Futurist aesthetic of what we thought would be the future. Not only was the name a nod to Kirby’s birthday month and day, the world itself felt like it had come alive from Walt Disney’s original concept of EPCOT (minus some of the more problematic elements that Walt had developed when he was developing the city of Tomorrow in Orlando, Florida).

I especially love the high inner space travel that the Four utilize when they travel to meet Galactus and the high speed chases throughout the outer rims of space when the Family travels through different rims of the Galaxy to avoid The Silver Surfer and get back home.

I think what also makes this 828 universe so fascinating is that even though it is an official Marvel Studios film – it does not take place in the main sacred timeline of the MCU and that it does not need to rely on the previously established worldbuilding of the previous movies. It feels like this universe could exist on its own.

GREGORY PAUL SILBER: I liked the “retro-futuristic” 1960s aesthetic everyone keeps talking about, and since FF was one of the premier comics of the Marvel age, it made sense to introduce this version of the team in their own universe. One of my biggest issues with the movie, though, was that it didn’t fully commit to the bit. Some of the dialogue felt anachronistic, and since it was set in roughly the same time that the original Lee/Kirby Fantastic Four comics were being published, I’m disappointed that The Thing didn’t talk like a caricature of Kirby himself and other middle-aged Jewish men in the ‘60s Lower East Side would have talked.

There were also some characters I wish we could’ve seen, like the Yancy Street Gang, Willie Lumpkin, and most especially, Alicia Masters (I thought for sure that’s who Lyonne would be playing when her casting was announced). Hopefully they’ll be introduced in the sequel(s) after the FF apparently move to the main MCU universe.

OLLIE KAPLAN: Greg, Avery, and I were chatting about Alicia the other day, and it’s gotten me all riled up about her absence from the film. My neurodivergent brain is stuck on it. Like, why wouldn’t they do Alicia?! The film was so white, so male, so heterosexual, and so able-bodied; it was aggressively normative. The one Black character was relegated to a few lines, and her role was to assist the white woman. Since I am not part of the Black community, I hope to read more essays on this because I don’t know about erasing the historical realities of that period just because the film takes place in an alternate universe (but, either way, she could have had more depth). Additionally, the woman character felt like a strong, female stereotype, like inspo porn but for mothers (again, however, I will defer to the mother on our team, Deanna, who has written about the impact of this story on her). 

I agree with everyone’s complaints about Lyonne’s character. Introducing Alicia would have been an excellent opportunity for the film to gain more diversity. As Ben’s girlfriend (and all-around badass), Alicia is one of the most notable characters in comics who is blind. While I loved having Lyonne in the movie, I also feel that she would have been a poor casting choice for Alicia because she isn’t blind. Actors who are blind or have low sight need more work and deserve on-screen representation. 

BILLY HENEHAN: This, in my opinion, opened the movie up for the best parts of the movie: the set design and costume design. I am so tired of every MCU character looking like their costume was inspired by 2008’s Iron Man. It’s been 17 years! It was so nice to see new takes on Marvel costumes that were different than every other MCU movie. And I loved the retro futuristic look of a 1960s New York City, where Reed Richards is sharing his scientific achievements with the wider public.

AVERY KAPLAN: I dug the unique vibe and think more superhero movies would benefit from taking place in settings that are familiar-but-strange. That being said, as I mentioned above, I did miss the connections with the other MCU movies. I thought Mole Man was a great addition, and I guess I wish there were a few other instances of characters like that appearing throughout the movie, to make Earth-828 feel more “lived in.” I had half expected to see Uatu, for example. However, naming the dimension after Kirby’s birthday was a very nice touch.

OLLIE KAPLAN: I agree with Avery and wanted more familiar-but-strange characters, like how Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness introduced alt-universe versions of Captain Marvel, Reed Richards, etc. I know Mole Man first appeared in a FF comic, but I most associate him with She-Hulk. There was a missed opportunity to have an alt-universe version of She-Hulk appear. Plus, the comic relief of more Mole Man was much needed.

I actually love the MCU and don’t mind the homework. The homework is how I learn about new characters and stories to love. When I started watching these films, Marvel was outside my wheelhouse. But as I learned to love the onscreen characters, I also learned to love the comic book characters. Sometimes, not being as familiar with these characters when the MCU started serves me well as a fan because I can separate their different iterations and not be so tied to the comic book storylines and versions. 

JUSTIN GUERRERO: I really loved the way this world was set up and designed and also makes me a bit sad because I feel like had the Marvel Universe been properly planned out from the start before the filming of Iron Man, we could have had a more rich MCU where this retro-futuristic world with scientific advancements existed alongside the X-Men, then later all the familiar Marvel heroes and characters like how the new DCU already feels like a very lived in universe. This film was pretty much a glimpse of a what-if the MCU had already been like that than the one we got now where starting with Iron Man set in the modern day and where the MCU begins to expand starting from 2008 to 2027, and anything before that is not explored as much or has to be somehow retroactively retconned in without making us question why not much has happened up until 2008. 

LAWRENCE MARABLE: I have to say I like the World of Earth-828 way more than I like the original Earth, whatever the MCU is. The retro vibe, the colorful and more involved citizens, the focus on the heroes being superheroes and celebrities, is just more immediately appealing to me than everyone in the MCU being some sort of secret agent in a strange costume. I’d be interested in seeing more characters from this retro Earth emerge, like a more classic rendition of Tony Stark or Hank Pym. Mostly, I feel like this would have a lot to give and explore, which is perfect for the Fantastic Four. It feels like a world where more comic book plotlines can and will happen.

HEIDI MACDONALD: It was the best thing in the movie. If you like Mid-Century furniture porn, this is for you. That said, WHY did they have this setting, aside from it being a parallel earth. Earth-828 had retro tech to look cool (tube TVs) but modern science when the story called for it (home pregnancy tests). Like most of the panel, I think WandaVision was Top 10 MCU, but there the stilted, campy setting was deliberate – Wanda was in denial over her grief and using this as a distraction. The retrofuturism of FF is cool looking but doesn’t have any real impact on the bland script.

TAIMUR DAR: Like most people, I dug the retrofuture aesthetics. In contrast though, I found the sequences that took place in space somewhat dull and uninspired. For all the homages to Jack Kirby, it’s somewhat disappointing that the film becomes visually flat when they arrive at Galactus’ ship. I know I never miss a chance to praise and bring up James Gunn, but compare his Guardians of the Galaxy films to the Fantastic Four space sequences and there’s a reason Gunn’s visual take on the cosmic side of Marvel still stick in your head.

Did you have a favorite character and/or scene in Fantastic Four?

D. MORRIS: The Fantastic Four use a black hole to fight the Silver Surfer. NUFF SAID. This movie has two of my all time favorite Marvel characters, The Thing and Silver Surfer, and Moss-Bachrach and Julia Garner were great as both. Seeing Ben Grimm get to be a pilot and adventurer? The Silver Surfer is mysterious and haunted? What more could anyone want!!!

DEANNA DESTITO: For me, it is Sue, 1000%. While I loved them all and anyone who knows me knows I always heart Pedro, Sue not only brought strong woman energy, she was the core of that team. She was the heart and frankly, the one to beat. So much power. 87% of that final act is Sue handling it nearly single-handedly.

I’m not disparaging the guys on the team at all. They all have their moment, and it is awesome, but there were moments throughout the film where Sue had to step in because they just needed her to keep it organized. As a mom, Sue hits differently for me, too. There is something to be said about a mother literally stopping at nothing to get her baby back in her arms. It’s that thing they always say about mom strength, where ordinary women suddenly lift cars off their kids. But she’s Sue Storm, so she shoves a celestial, world-eating giant into a wormhole. And yes, I ugly cried the whole last sequence.

OLLIE KAPLAN: The one mom part that made Avery and I cry was the opening sequence. I’m infertile, so Reed and Sue’s extended journey to get pregnant was the part of the mom story that hit us. I also think Deanna is probably not alone in how this film spoke to her, even if it didn’t resonate with me. During the movie, I remember turning to Avery and saying, “This story seems perfect for adults who grew up on the MCU and are now passing that love on to their children. I bet this hits differently for them than us.”

DEAN SIMONS: Sue stole the movie. The most competent, confident member of the ensemble. I liked the little glimpses of Ben Grimm’s tender side and the vulnerability of Pascal’s Reed Richard’s but Sue was a powerhouse presence in every scene.

GEORGE CARMONA 3rd: I would have said Sue, but she kept bringing Franklin outside in the cold with no hat on. She’s still top three, but how are you taking a newborn outside without a hat on? Since I can’t say Sue, I’m going with the Surfer, and that chase scene in space, the way they had her literally surfing the ”space lanes,” is amazing. Last, MVP has to go to the Mole Man, comes in for three scenes, and kills it with the dialogue. I would love a 4-hour Disney+ show of him running Subterranea.  

JEREMY FUSCALDO: I would have to say that my favorite moment in the film is when Sue Storm addresses the Public and the Press with her son, Franklin, present. After being criticized for not giving up her son to Galactus– Sue uses the opportunity to be true to herself while renewing her promise to protect Earth. Addressing the audience, she shared how her mom died and that her father tried to make things work. She elaborates that being a mother to her own son was important because she would do anything for her family. And in a way, she viewed everyone on Earth as one giant family because both her son, her brother, husband, their family friend (Ben Grimm) and the entire world gave her a sense of purpose that she never had with her dad. And by promising to not sacrifice her son, she renews her promise that they will face Galactus together as a family.

I think that’s why as of this writing, Sue is one of my favorite characters from the film right now.

While I never had the same family dilemma that Sue did – that sense of responsibility to a greater community is something that resonated with me personally. As I became more active in more comic spaces, animation communities and fandom communities – I too developed that sense of responsibility to different communities while being true to myself. And as we all face this current political climate and sense of uncertainty of the future– I believe that it is important that we face it together and protect each other….together.

GREGORY PAUL SILBER: Galactus! Ralph Ineson’s booming voice was note-perfect for the planet-devouring space god, and with the help of great practical effects (more practical effects please, Hollywood!), he looked amazing. They did a great job making him look imposing and awe-inspiring without completely undoing that glorious Jack Kirby goofiness.

As for my favorite scene, I loved seeing The Thing entertain the schoolkids with his super-strength and wit. It was the most authentically Ben Grimm part of the whole movie.

OLLIE KAPLAN: Agree with Greg, more practical effects! One of the best parts of First Steps.

BILLY HENEHAN:  Going into the movie, I would have thought Pascal as Mr. Fantastic would easily be my favorite character. But he was so underutilized, both as a big brain and as a superhero. We needed more Reed stretching into cool shapes during fights and also during quieter moments.

I recently reread 1987’s Fantastic Four Vs. The X-Men, and artist Jon Bogdanove does such cool things with Mr. Fantastic, both during fights and while just working in his lab. I really liked the shimmery effects of Sue’s force fields in the movie. But if there is one character who really did it for me, it was The Thing as portrayed by Moss-Bachrach. He nailed it. I just wish they didn’t go with the rock beard. That looked weird.

AVERY KAPLAN: I enjoyed the Star Trek-y sequence in which the Excelsior used the time dilation of the black hole to evade the Silver Surfer. And I also liked the “backstory” sequence towards the beginning, in which the exploits of the FF in this strange, new world were swiftly explored. 

TAIMUR DAR: I gotta go with the opening montage of the FF’s early exploits. While I was disappointed that John Malkovich as Red Ghost was cut out of the final film, I’m glad they kept at least one Super-Ape. Also the old-school retro cartoon animated by Titmouse Studios, most especially because it let us see other classic FF villains. 

LAWRENCE MARABLE: I’ll give a scene and a character. Sue Storm is an absolute delight and shines as the main character, even if she doesn’t go through any main arc. I enjoy that she instead pushes others to change and do better, which leans into my favorite scene involving Reed holding Franklin and discussing how he doesn’t want Franklin to be like him and instead wants Franklin to show him what kind of person he wants to be. It’s a very heartwarming theme that the movie slightly plays with, and it’s perfect for Reed Richards. 

HEIDI MACDONALD: Composer Michael Giacchino. Great score, one of his best and note (haha) perfect. That song at the end was weird until I listened to the lyrics! The cast was very lovable, and Sue got the glow up Kirby would have approved of.

Stay tuned for The Beat’s Fantastic Four Roundtable: Part Two in One.

Photos credit: Marvel Studios.

Fantastic Four is currently playing in theaters.