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Chris Columbus, the filmmaker behind family classics like Mrs. Doubtfire, Home Alone, and the first two Harry Potterfilms, has revealed why he was fired from 20th Century Fox’s 2005 Fantastic Four. Speaking on the Fade to Blackpodcast, Columbus explained that his creative push for a more comic-accurate vision was not received well by studio executives — and cost him his job.

“We were in a weird situation. On the first Fantastic Four, I had worked on a script. There were a lot of writers involved. They were about to make a movie and I was producing it. I met with the director and had some ideas. I basically said, ‘Some of...

Chris Columbus is a prolific filmmaker with several major blockbusters and box office hits to his name, from Home Alone and Mrs. Doubtfire to the first two Harry Potter films and, more recently, Netflix's The Thursday Murder Club. However, not every project he worked on was smooth sailing. He recently revealed he was attached — and credited as an executive producer — on 2005's Fantastic Four, but claims he "had nothing to do with" the final film because he was abruptly "fired" from the 20th Century Fox production before shooting began.

The 2005 feature, based on the Marvel Comics superhero team created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, was directed by Tim Story...

Harry Potter director Chris Columbus recently opened up about being fired from making a Fantastic Four movie. He was initially hired by 20th Century Fox to write and direct a film back in 1995.

Appearing on the Fade to Black podcast with Hanna Flint, Columbus revealed why the project didn't work out, sharing the shocking reason he was fired. "We were in a weird situation," he shared. "On the first Fantastic Four, I had worked on a script. There were a lot of writers involved. They were about to make a movie, and I was producing it. I met with the director and had some ideas."

Columbus went on to reveal...

Home Alone director Chris Columbus says he was fired from 2005’s Fantastic Four movie for criticising its concept art.

The 2005 incarnation of Fantastic Four – the one starring Chris Evans, Jessica Alba and Ioan Gruffudd, among others – was directed by Tim Story. In another universe somewhere, it was directed by Home Alone's Chris Columbus, and released much earlier – he was initially attached to adapt the comic book in 1995. In the end, his incarnation never happened, however, though he did still receive an executive producer credit on the movie that emerged a decade later.

Columbus, who’s currently doing the promotional rounds for The Thursday Murder Club, on Netflix from today...

Chris Columbus has directed some of the most enduring blockbusters of all time, from “Mrs. Doubtfire” and the “Home Alone” films to the first two “Harry Potter” movies. But even with those movies under his belt, Columbus still found himself getting booted from 20th Century Fox’s original “Fantastic Four” movie. The director is credited as an executive producer on the movie “but had nothing to do with it,” he recently told the “Fade to Black” podcast.

“We were in a weird situation,” Columbus said. “On the first ‘Fantastic Four,’ I had worked on a script. There were a lot of writers involved. They were about to make a movie and I was producing it. I met with the director and had some ideas. I basically said, ‘Some of this conceptual art should feel more like Jack Kirby, the creator of the Fantastic Four, and should feel more like the Silver Age of Marvel.

In what could perhaps be construed as the biggest blow yet for Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the movie’s daily earnings at the domestic box office have dropped to the same level as those of the 2005 Fantastic Four movie, released by 20th Century Fox. Basically, both movies earned a similar amount at the exact same stage in their respective theatrical runs, but with two decades separating them. What this also means is that way more people were watching the original Fantastic Four movie at this stage in 2005 than are watching the new film now.

Directed by Matt Shakman, the new movie was released to massive fanfare, seeing as it was the grand debut of Marvel’s “First Family” in the MCU — the highest-grossing and most influential film franchise of all time. Previously, Spider-Man: Homecoming opened to similar excitement in 2017, before going on to gross more than $800 million worldwide.

Ridley Scott has directed all manner of sci-fi and action projects over the years, but one of the more undersung projects from the acclaimed filmmaker just got a disappointing streaming update. 24 years ago, Scott directed Black Hawk Down, the 2001 war epic telling the story of the one hundred and sixty U.S. soldiers who were dropped into Mogadishu in 1993 to capture the two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord, only to find themselves in a battle against heavily-armed Somalis. Black Hawk Down has been streaming on Netflix for a few months now, but the streamer has confirmed that the last day to watch the film was August 1. The film earned strong scores of 76% from critics and 84% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, and it grossed $172 million against a $92 million budget.

Ridley Scott recruited an all-star roster of talent for Black Hawk Down, which alone would make the film worth watching, even...

Ridley Scott directed multiple award-winning films, and the beginning of the 2000s was one of his highest points. One year after the extremely successful 2000 historical drama Gladiator, he directed the war epic Black Hawk Down.

The critically acclaimed war movie is now set to lose its streaming home, as What's on Netflix reports Black Hawk Down is set to leave Netflix on Sept. 1. The movie premiered in 2001 and has since become one of Scott's best movies. The film's story was also explored in a documentary on Netflix earlier this year.

Scott directed and produced Black Hawk Down with a script by Ken Nolan, with Jerry Bruckheimer as a co-producer. The war film is based on journalist Mark Bowden's non-fiction book of the same name from 1999, following the crew of a Black Hawk helicopter shot down during the Battle of Mogadishu in the early 1990s. Black Hawk Down featured an impressive cast,...

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Your mission, should you choose to accept it: find a film to watch tonight without wasting an hour scrolling through Netflix.

Analysis paralysis can hit harder than Denzel Washington fighting the Russian mob. This can be especially true when you know you just want to kick back and enjoy fist fights and shootouts but are caught in a sea of subgenres, stories, and tones that -- if encountered by the wrong audience -- can turn a decent action flick to a real chore.

At /Film, we're happy to find every action fan the exact flavor of violence that will make you the hero of movie night, even if it means digging through mountains of Netflix content on your behalf. From buddy action comedies starring Will Ferrell and Eddie Murphy to relentlessly gory thrillers from gritty directors Leigh Whannell and Sam Hargrave,...

Is the 2005 Fantastic Four film underrated? Michael Chiklis certainly thinks so.

Chiklis played Ben Grimm/the Thing in the first live-action adaptation of the iconic superhero quartet. When looking back on the project, a conversation sparked by the recent release of Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the actor told Collider he believes critics at the time “got it wrong.”

“There were a lot of people, I think, critically who got it wrong,” he said of the 2005 film and its 2007 follow-up Rise of the Silver Surfer. “They really maligned our films, and they were very underrated considering… They were very loved by the audience. It was one of those cases where critics weren’t great to those films, but the audience was, and that still remains.”

The Emmy winner acknowledged the appreciation shown by the audience as opposed to critics, adding, “And now all these years later, people are sort of acknowledging like,...

Michael Chiklis, who played Ben Grimm / The Thing in 2005's Fantastic Four and 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, defends the movies from the poor critic reception they received two decades ago. Marvel's First Family are back in the spotlight thanks to The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which many consider to be the first time the superhero team has worked on screen. However, the nostalgia cycle has seen the 2000s films, which were criticized at the time of their release, looked back fondly on by the people who grew up with them as their first exposure to the classic Marvel heroes.

Speaking with Collider, Chiklis reflected on the lasting legacy of Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer despite poor critic reactions. He noted the films' box office grosses, noting, "We made three-quarters of $1 billion, those two movies. So, you know, all those people can...

Say what you will about the 2005 Fantastic Four movie and its 2007 follow-up Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer – and I will say that I don’t think they were very good movies – but did they handle one character very well: Ben Grimm / The Thing, as played by Michael Chiklis. With a new Fantastic Four movie out in theatres now (the Marvel Cinematic Universe entry The Fantastic Four: First Steps), the folks at Collider sat down for an interview with Chiklis, and he took some time to defend the two Fantastic Four movies he worked on, saying they’re underrated films that critics were wrong about.

Chiklis told Collider, “There were a lot of people, I think, critically who got it wrong. They really maligned our films, and they were very underrated considering… they were very loved by the audience. It was one of those cases where critics weren’t great to those films,...

Michael Chiklis played Ben Grimm, a.k.a. The Thing, in 2005's Fantastic Four and its 2007 sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. They were moderate successes, but are widely regarded as a disappointing take on Marvel's First Family.

Both movies have reentered the conversation thanks to the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps from Marvel Studios, with plenty of younger fans discovering them for the first time. The discourse surrounding them has softened, with some enjoying that cheesier take on the team.

Talking to Collider, Chiklis reflected on his time as part of the Fantastic Four franchise and defended the movies. "There were a lot of people, I think, critically who got it wrong," the actor said. "They really maligned our films, and they were very underrated considering they were very loved by the audience."

"It was one of those cases where critics weren’t great to those films,...

Michael Chiklis is standing up for 2005’s “Fantastic Four.”

In a recent interview with Collider, Chiklis, who played Ben Grimm, aka The Thing, in “Fantastic Four” and its 2007 sequel “Rise of the Silver Surfer,” said the two Marvel blockbusters were “underrated” at the time of their release, and critics who panned the films “got it wrong.”

“There were a lot of people, I think, critically who got it wrong,” Chiklis said. “They really maligned our films, and they were very underrated considering… they were very loved by the audience. It was one of those cases where critics weren’t great to those films, but the audience was, and that still remains.”

He continued, “I’ve always sort of quietly gone like, ‘Okay, say what you want to say, but the people see it.’ And now all these years later, people are sort of acknowledging like, hey, these films are family-friendly,...

This article contains spoilers for Marvel's The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps writer Eric Pearson recently talked about an uncomfortable argument Marvel creatives had behind the scenes of the movie. Scenes involving Pedro Pascal's Mister Fantastic and his stretching were something that reportedly 'tested the limits.'

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Pearson talked about The Fantastic Four's fight against the villainous Galactus (Ralph Ineson). At one point, when all four family members join together to try and take him down, Galactus is able to thwart Pascal's Reed Richards and finds humor in stretching the hero to his limits, literally trying to pull him apart from both ends. It was this very scene that caused the debate among the film's creatives.

"I don’t know if it made you uncomfortable, the stretch [of Reed Richards]," Pearson said. "[Director] Matt [Shakman] wasn’t allergic to stretching, but he was like,...

One original Fantastic Four star may be suiting up once again for Avengers: Secret Wars, if a recent comment is any indication. A new interview sparked speculation that a veteran cast member from the 2000s-era Marvel films could be making a surprise return in the 2027 multiverse epic. Given how Secret Wars is expected to bring back legacy heroes from across Marvel history, this tease feels more meaningful than ever coming off the First Steps reboot.

Ioan Gruffudd, who played Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic in the original Fantastic Four films from the mid-2000s, ignited fresh speculation about a potential return to the Marvel universe, even though he wasn't invited back for Avengers: Doomsday.

According to the book of trivia, Marvel: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know (pub. 2016), Mister Fantastic has a threshold of stretching up to 1500 ft. beyond which his body can begin to experience pain [Google Books].

In The Fantastic Four: First Steps, considering the lengths to which he was being pulled by Galactus, it is indiscernible why Reed Richards would react as though he were nearing the limits of excruciating pain. Although one could argue it was because of him resisting Galactus, or not having control over his molecular structure, or simply not knowing the limits of his own powers.

Nevertheless, given the history of the incredible feats of Marvel’s first family through their century-long existence in comics, the “nerfing” of Mister Fantastic’s powers in the movie has left some fans considerably upset.

What Are Some of the Most Incredible Feats of Mister Fantastic in Comics and Past Movies? Mister Fantastic...

"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" finally gives Marvel's first family their due on the big screen. It even pays tribute to what's come before in the process, with the four main actors from 1994's mythical "Fantastic Four" film (which was never officially released) making cameos in the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe film. At this point, though, the cast of the 2000s era "Fantastic Four" movies have largely avoided any multiversal nonsense, save for Chris Evans appearing as Johnny Storm in 2024's "Deadpool & Wolverine." Although, to be fair, that was more poking fun at the fact that everyone was expecting Captain America and got Human Torch instead.

Former Mister Fantastic actor Ioan Gruffudd caught up with Vulture to reflect on his time in the superhero world, and he had nothing but positive feelings upon seeing Evans, his former co-star, suit up as Johnny once more. As Gruffudd put it:

"It...

An underrated superhero movie continues to make its mark on the streaming charts following the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

PerFlixPatrol, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer continues to maintain its place on the chart of the top streaming films on Disney+. As of the time of writing, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer sits at the number seven spot on the list, having fallen just one spot in recent days.

Helmed by returning director Tim Story from a screenplay by returning writer Mark Frost and co-writer Don Payne, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer was the direct follow-up to 2005's Fantastic Four. The film saw Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis reprise their roles as Reed Richards, Sue and Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm, better known as Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, and the Thing, respectively. Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer...

In remarks relayed by The Wrap from his recent Vulture interview, actor Ioan Gruffudd said the studio decision to halt a third Fantastic Four film was “beyond my control,” ending plans for a trilogy he once expected to finish after 2007’s Rise of the Silver Surfer. He recalled that studio conversations pivoted around a three-picture arc after both earlier installments crossed the $300 million worldwide mark.

“The momentum was there,” he added, praising movement artist Doug Jones’ portrayal of the Silver Surfer while noting that ultimate approval rested with executives. Mixed reviews for the sequel and leadership changes at 20th Century Fox soon pushed the 2009 target off the calendar, leaving cast and crew in limbo.

Fan archivists later highlighted reduced profit projections, unresolved character-rights issues and early talk of a franchise reset as key factors behind the cancellation. Those conversations intensified after Disney acquired Fox in 2019, transferring the property to Marvel Studios...

Ioan Gruffudd starred in 2005’s “Fantastic Four” and the follow-up “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” before plans for a third film were canned, something he told Vulture was “beyond my control” despite fan disappointment.

In an interview published July 30, Gruffudd explained, “The mind-set was that we were going to do three, and I think the second movie was equally successful as the first and equally enjoyable for the fans. I particularly loved working with Doug Jones [as the Silver Surfer] on that movie, who’s just a terrific artist and an expert in the field of movement.”

“If you want to witness somebody bringing a character to life physically, he’s just untouchable. So there was definitely that sort of momentum, and the plan was to do three movies, but these decisions are beyond my control.”

Gruffudd starred as Mister Fantastic in both films, the role that’s played by Pedro Pascal...

Marvel’s first family may have just found its way into the MCU, but Fantastic Four’s original Reed Richards has finally spoken about scrapped plans for a Wolverine cameo in the 2005 movie. Serving as the sixth Marvel movie released by 20th Century Fox following the success of 2000’s X-Men, eager-eyed fans have since spotted several X-Men Easter eggs throughout.

In addition to magazine covers referencing X-Men cast members James Marsden and Rebecca Romijn, Fantastic Four’s original DVD release also contained a deleted scene where Ioan Gruffudd’s Reed Richards attempts to impress Jessica Alba’s Sue Storm by using his powers to transform his face into a “stronger man.” That man ends up being none other than Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine.

Speaking with Vultureabout his time as Mister Fantastic, Gruffudd was quizzed about the infamous deleted scene and Fantastic Four’s attempts to introduce a Wolverine cameo. Admitting...

Ioan Gruffudd, who notably portrayed Mister Fantastic/Reed Richards in 20th Century Fox’s Fantastic Four duology, reflected on the scrapped plans for a proposed third film that never came to be.

In a Q&a with Vulture tied to the release of Marvel’s new take on the storied comic book family, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the Welsh actor talked about feeling “incredibly proud to be part of such a beautiful franchise,” which comprised 2005’s Fantastic Four and 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.

“The mindset was that we were going to do three, and I think the second movie was equally successful as the first and equally enjoyable for the fans,” said Gruffudd, who attended the world premiere of the MCU entry, which features Pedro Pascal in the main role. “I particularly loved working with Doug Jones [as the Silver Surfer] on that movie, who’s just a terrific...

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In the early 2000s, superhero movies were on their way to becoming the dominant force in pop culture for the first time. There had previously been one-off hits such as Tim Burton's "Batman," but the success of 2000's "X-Men" put Marvel on the mainstream map for the first time, having built off the popularity of 1998's "Blade." Sam Raimi and Sony's "Spider-Man" took things to another level in 2002, and from there, it was off to the races. 20th Century Fox then followed 2003's "X2: X-Men United" with director Tim Story's "Fantastic Four," which became a solid hit for the studio. It also very nearly created a shared on-screen Marvel universe ... sort of.

Ioan Gruffudd portrayed Reed Richards, aka Mister Fantastic, in Story's 2005 adaptation of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's superheroic comic book family. Jessica Alba co-starred as Sue Storm,...

Ioan Gruffudd says the original Fantastic Four cast expected to complete a trilogy, but the studio halted plans for a 2009 installment “beyond my control.” During a recent Vulture interview the Welsh actor recalled that momentum felt strong after Rise of the Silver Surfer, adding he “loved working with Doug Jones” as the cosmic herald.

Industry chatter at the time pointed to internal budget worries and a desire to pivot toward risk-free brands once Silver Surfer posted a steeper second-week drop than its 2005 predecessor. Fox ultimately logged about $289-302 million worldwide on the sequel versus $333 million for the first film, a margin analysts called “respectable yet unremarkable” for a superhero property already facing stiffer competition.

Gruffudd told fans the cancellation stung because contracts had been structured for three pictures. His remarks echo prior comments from director Tim Story that early outlines toyed with villains such as Puppet Master and Mole Man...

Long before Pedro Pascal stretched his limbs as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic in “Fantastic Four: The First Steps,” it was Ioan Gruffudd who led Marvel’s first family in 2005’s “Fantastic Four” and 2007’s “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.” The films were critical duds and only mild box office hits (each grossed more than $300 million worldwide). In a new interview with Vulture, Gruffudd looked back at his original “Fantastic Four” franchise being cut short.

“The mindset was that we were going to do three, and I think the second movie was equally successful as the first and equally enjoyable for the fans,” Gruffudd said. “I particularly loved working with Doug Jones [as the Silver Surfer] on that movie, who’s just a terrific artist and an expert in the field of movement. If you want to witness somebody bringing a character to life physically, he’s just untouchable. So there was definitely that sort of momentum,...

The Fantastic Four movies from two decades ago ended prematurely.

Ioan Gruffudd starred as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic in 2005’s Fantastic Four and the 2007 sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and with the new Fantastic Four film recently hitting theaters, he’s reflecting on how there was supposed to be a third film in the early ’00s series and why it didn’t happen.

“The mindset was that we were going to do three,” he told Vulture. “I think the second movie was equally successful as the first and equally enjoyable for the fans. I particularly loved working with Doug Jones [as the Silver Surfer] on that movie, who’s just a terrific artist and an expert in the field of movement. If you want to witness somebody bringing a character to life physically, he’s just untouchable.”

He added, “So there was definitely that sort of momentum, and the plan was to do three movies,...

Reed Richards star Ioan Gruffudd reveals why Fantastic Four 3 never happened during his Marvel era. While The Fantastic Four: First Steps movie has finally brought the iconic team into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this is one of the many film takes on Marvel's First Family, as the 2000s had several incarnations of them in live-action.

From 2005 to 2007, Fox's Fantastic Four franchise featured the iconic Marvel heroes on the big screen before the MCU had even come to life. While Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer was the last time that version of the team was seen together, it appears there were plans for a third installment.

In a new interview with Vulture, Gruffudd, who portrayed Mister Fantastic in the Fox films, opened up about how the original cast was actually contracted for a Fantastic Four trilogy. The Welsh actor shared more on how a Fantastic Four 3 film was initially...

Twenty years ago, Ioan Gruffudd played Reed Richards in Fantastic Four, the first live-action movie based on Marvel’s first family (not counting the unreleased Roger Corman version). Despite the largely negative reviews, the film still did well at the box office, grossing $333.5 million on a budget of less than $100 million. A sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, followed two years later and was met with a slightly warmer reception and grossed over $300 million. As the cast had signed a three-picture deal, they were all expecting to return for one more movie… but it never happened.

While speaking with Vulture, Gruffudd commented on the unmade Fantastic Four 3. “The mindset was that we were going to do three, and I think the second movie was equally successful as the first and equally enjoyable for the fans,” he explained. “I particularly loved working with Doug Jones [who played the Silver Surfer] on that movie, who...

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is drawing close to a major box office record. The new Marvel Cinematic Universe movie stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, and the Thing, who are the four members of the titular superhero team.

First Steps is the fifth Fantastic Four movie, though it is only the fourth to come to theaters. Previous movies adapting the comics include an unreleased Roger Corman-produced feature from 1994, pirated copies of which have made it something of a cult classic.

This was followed by 2005's Fantastic Four and 2007's Rise of the Silver Surfer, both of which starred Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis. Another adaptation was mounted in 2015, starring Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, and Jamie Bell.

Per The Numbers, The Fantastic Four: First Steps brought in $8.6 million at...

After years of being out of Marvel’s grasp, the Fantastic Four has finally, officially and fully, joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe with The Fantastic Four: First Steps – and to celebrate, we have decided to look back at the other Fantastic Four movies that have been made to put together a list of Fantastic Four Movies Ranked. Here we go, from worst to best:

Fantastic Four (2015)

The ‘94 film is the one executives tried to bury, but the making of the 2015 Fantastic Four was such a horrible mess, maybe Fox should have just scrapped it and used it for a $120 million tax write-off, Warner Bros. style. The differing opinions behind the scenes are apparent in the finished movie, where the more traditional comic book movie sensibilities of screenwriter Jeremy Slater and writer/producer Simon Kinberg come through in the first half, while director Josh Trank’s wrong-headed attempt to turn the...

Ioan Gruffudd, the Og Mr. Fantastic from the 2005 Fantastic Four film, just sent the Marvel multiverse into a caffeine-fueled frenzy. The actor recently shared a cryptic photo of himself clutching a coffee cup with a very deliberate “4” foam art on the top. Now, fans are spiraling out of control, speculating if Gruffudd is hinting at his return.

And by speculating, we mean people are not hoping for Ioan Gruffudd to come back as Mr. Fantastic, especially now that Pedro Pascal has bagged the role. Instead, fans are expecting the actor to return as The Maker, an evil alternate version of Reed Richards. But the buzz didn’t stop there.

In a recent Vulture interview, Gruffudd dropped another bombshell about how he almost played a very different mutant role. Turns out, in the 2005 Fantastic Four movie, the actor appeared as none other than the X-Men mutant Wolverine, in a deleted scene.

Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd first played Reed Richards in 2005's Fantastic Four, and later reprised the role in 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. His take on Mister Fantastic remains well-liked among fans, though Gruffudd has yet to return to the blockbuster realm.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrived in theaters last weekend, bringing the original Fantastic Four cast back into the conversation. Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, and Chris Evans didn't appear in the Marvel Studios movie, though there were rumours about the latter showing up as Nomad (setting the stage for next December's Avengers: Doomsday).

Vulture recently spoke with Gruffudd in a piece that takes a deep dive into his role in the Fantastic Four movies. It's well worth a read to learn how he approached playing the character, and the conversation eventually turned to the infamous deleted scene with Mister Fantastic transforming into Hugh Jackman's Wolverine.

Pedro Pascal debuted as Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which received mostly positive reviews and introduced Marvel’s first family to the MCU. However, the movie might be hiding another terrifying villain in plain sight, and one particular line provides a strong hint of the same.

In the movie, Reed has a heart-to-heart conversation with his son, Franklin Richards, ahead of a battle with Galactus. However, Reed’s seemingly throwaway line might hint at the Maker’s debut in Avengers: Secret Wars, especially after the comics have already set a precedent for the same. Here is how Pascal might’ve teased the Maker in The Fantastic Four.

Spoiler Alert !!!Spoilers ahead for The Fantastic Four: First Steps! Pedro Pascal’s Terrifying Line to Franklin Richards Hints at The Maker in Secret Wars

Pedro Pascal debuted as Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic in the MCU movie The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Spoilers for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" follow.

"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" makes a second go at adapting the "Galactus Trilogy." Published in "Fantastic Four" #48-50, the arc is the storytelling midpoint (but arguable quality high point) of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's 100+ issue run on "Fantastic Four." The scope of the story seems quaint now, but in 1966? When comic issues were expected to be standalone? A three-part story was a big deal, especially since Galactus (who threatened to destroy the whole world) was a bigger threat than the F4 had ever faced.

The 2007 film "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" is no-one's favorite Marvel movie, and it's generally considered to have bungled adapting this story. Galactus himself is only onscreen for about two minutes and was bafflingly reinterpreted not as a booming, armored titan, but as a giant cloud. Not so here. In "First Steps," Galactus...

This article contains spoilers for "Fantastic Four: First Steps."

If you've been prowling around film-centric corners of the internet in the last couple months, you've undoubtedly come across some form of meme referring to how many projects actor Pedro Pascal is currently appearing in. The Chilean-American thespian, who's been a staple on the small screen since the late '90s, has seen his big screen career expand in a major way during the last decade. In addition to being booked and busy, Pascal seems to be a particularly friendly and open person toward the press, meaning he's visible in numerous interview clips. 

Those clips subsequently go viral due to folks openly thirsting over him, thanks in part to his charm and gregariousness. While Pascal isn't actually in more projects per year than most A-list actors, his public profile is indeed very high, which makes it seem like he's everywhere these days.

Former Reed Richards actor Ioan Gruffudd shares his thoughts on The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Phase 6 provides the MCU with a new Reed Richards, a new Sue Storm, a new Johnny Storm, and a new Ben Grimm. After their debut movie, the McU's Fantastic Four will likely be recurring heroes in the franchise.

On Threads, the 2005 Fantastic Four Reed Richards actor Ioan Gruffudd praised Marvel Studios for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Gruffudd describes Matt Shakman's reboot as "a superb homage to the original comics from the sixties." He also shares photos from the world premiere, which former Silver Surfer actor Doug Jones also attended. Read Ioan Gruffudd's full comments below:

"Thank you @marvel for a wonderful evening at the world premiere of @fantasticfour: First Steps.Marvel’s first family is alive and well and in safe hands. A superb homage to the original comics from the sixties. Acting,...

Longtime actor Michael Chiklis is gearing up to play real-life linebacker Mike Flynt in the official trailer for The Senior, an upcoming sports drama that will be distributed by Angel Studios later this year. The two-minute footage showcases Flynt returning to his alma mater, Sul Ross State, after getting expelled from the institution in the early 1970s for fighting. At age 59, Flynt returned to Sul Ross State University and rejoined his former college team, later becoming the oldest college linebacker in NCAA history. "I told him I thought he was crazy," said Jerry Larned, who coached Flynt during his time at Sul Ross in 1969 and supported him at the start of his comeback. But Flynt wouldn't take no for an answer. With his undeniable grit and unwavering determination, Flynt proved that he was up for the challenge.

According to Variety, Chiklis will star alongside Mary Stuart Masterson (The Stepford Wives...

After chasing the elusive, once-upon-a-time success of the MCU for the past 6 years, Kevin Feige ultimately found it with Marvel’s first family. The franchise has now hit the golden pot at the end of the rainbow with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which takes a step back from the current timeline to travel back to the retrofuturistic past of the 1960s.

Meanwhile, Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby‘s blockbuster success comes at the tail end of a long, rocky, and often backbreaking odyssey at 20th Century Fox with the Fantastic Four property. Despite the studio’s unrelenting attempt to reboot the franchise, F4 has always managed to bomb at the box office, each time somehow worse than the last.

Below is a list of every Fantastic Four movie ever made, ranked in order of their runtime, from shortest to longest.

5. The Fantastic Four (1994): 90 minutes The Fantastic Four (1994) [Credit: New Concorde]

Roger Corman’s 1994 film,...

It’s no stretch to say that cinematic adaptations of the Fantastic Four have been off to a rocky start. The team has been brought to screen a few times already, with a 1990s film rendered culturally invisible and a 2015 franchise attempt doomed from the beginning. Although 2005’s “Fantastic Four” received a sequel, a planned third film ultimately burst into flames.

That brings us to “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” the fourth go at bringing Marvel’s First Family to the big screen. Directed by “WandaVision” helmer Matt Shakman, the film introduces the superhero team to the MCU in an alternate retro-futuristic 1960s landscape.

In the film, the team of Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/The Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) face off against the cosmic world-eating being Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his herald,...

The Fantastic Four are called Marvel’s First Family because, well, they actually are. Back in 1961, the company formerly known as Timely Comics transitioned into Marvel Comics. They kept some of their titles, such as Journey Into Mystery, but began a new approach to superhero comics with The Fantastic Four. These new titles would show the internal drama between the characters and not just their superheroics. After these characters became a big hit, the company created other heroes such as The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, and Iron Man. Fox would end up with the movie rights to bring these characters to the big screen but ultimately would produce content that really didn’t live up to what the comics promised. After four attempts (ironic), the rights have finally reverted back to Marvel Studios through Disney’s purchase of Twentieth Century Studios. Now that the MCU is around, fans are interested in...

With 130 reviews now counted, The Fantastic Four: First Steps sits at 86% on Rotten Tomatoes. The Marvel Studios movie has been Certified Fresh by the review aggregator, marking another win for the MCU at a time when the superhero genre needs one.

Thunderbolts* was a critical hit, but struggled at the box office (it tapped out at $382 million). Captain America: Brave New World, however, received largely negative reviews and barely passed $400 million worldwide.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps has quickly become one of Marvel Studios' best-reviewed movies, marking a phenomenal start for the McU's First Family that breaks an unfortunate streak for the Fantastic Four franchise.

Every single Fantastic Four movie until now has been rated "Rotten" on Rotten Tomatoes; First Steps is the only one produced by Marvel Studios, and the first to not only be deemed Fresh, but Certified Fresh.

In 2005, Tim Story's Fantastic Four movie, starring Ioan Gruffudd,...

Matt Shakman brings Marvel’s “first family” onto the big screen, but is it any good? Here’s our The Fantastic Four: First Steps review.

Historically, Fantastic Four is one of Marvel’s biggest properties, but adapting the quartet to the big screen has been, well, challenging. The 2005 film, starring Jessica Alba and Ioan Gruffudd, wasn’t great to begin with and certainly hasn’t improved over time while Josh Trank’s 2015 attempt promised more than it could deliver. Arguably, it’s Pixar’s pair of The Incredibles movies that have got closest to getting things right.

Director Matt Shakman then brings us the latest take on Marvel’s first family, The Fantastic Four: First Steps. His task comes with added pressure as Marvel is desperate for a hit after a string of underwhelming releases (although Thunderbolts remains an interesting release). Commercially, then, a lot is riding on First Steps...

It can be tough to pass the torch, especially of the human variety, but Michael Chiklis – who played The Thing 20 years ago in 2005’s Fantastic Four – is doing so in a noble way, wishing the cast of the MCU’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps the best of luck as the next wave of superheroes gives it a go.

Michael Chiklis recently took to social media to thank the fans who have shown their support for him and his interpretation of The Thing leading up to the release of First Steps, while also giving due respect to the cast. “I want to thank everyone for all the Fantastic Four love this last couple of months during the run up to the new F4 flick. Speaking of which, I want to wish the cast and crew of First Steps the best of luck and success. I admire these actors and look...

Even though they are considered some of the most important characters in Marvel Comics, even earning the title of “Marvel’s First Family,” the Fantastic Four doesn’t have the strongest history on the big screen.

Now that the Fantastic Four is finally joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in The Fantastic Four: The First Steps — well, after cameos from John Krasinski as Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Chris Evans as Johnny Storm in Deadpool & Wolverine — it’s time to look back on every adaptation we have seen.

Fans hoping that director Matt Shakman (WandaVision) would redeem the superhero team were thankfully rewarded with The First Steps, but where does it stack up against the other Fantastic Four adaptations?

5. Fantastic Four (2015)

Despite being co-written by Simon Kinberg, hot off the tails of the highly acclaimed X-Men: Days of Future Past, 2015’s Fantastic Four has...

The critics have spoken and agree that The Fantastic Four: First Steps lives up to the heroic team's name, with initial reviews on Tuesday celebrating the film for its character-driven storytelling and strong performances.

David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter praises Marvel for shifting its focus toward character development. “There’s a fresh willingness to prioritize character over the usual barrage of interchangeable CG action sequences that often overwhelm them, instead giving us relatable folks to invest in,” Rooney writes, highlighting the film’s commitment to emotional depth amid the spectacle.

Directed by Matt Shakman, the film is set in the early 1960s and stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Reed’s wife Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Sue’s brother Johnny, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm. Julia Garner appears as the mysterious Silver Surfer known. Rooney notes, “The actors are so terrific and their chemistry...

The reviews are in for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and that means we have an all-important Rotten Tomatoes score. Love or hate it, the review aggregator plays a crucial role in helping many moviegoers decide whether a new release is worth buying a ticket for.

As we write this, The Fantastic Four: First Steps has 88% based on 88 reviews. That number will fluctuate in the coming days as more verdicts are counted (we'd expect at least 300+), but like Superman, we wouldn't expect the number to change too much.

The movie is also "Certified Fresh," another win for Marvel Studios at a time when one is needed.

The only place for The Fantastic Four: First Steps to go was up after the team's previous movies. 2015's Fantastic Four, directed by Josh Trank and starring Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell, and Michael B. Jordan, is one of the worst-reviewed superhero movies ever,...

The Fantastic Four are back and made a big splash at their world premiere in Los Angeles. The event took place at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, where fans and stars came together to celebrate Marvel’s newest film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

This movie will bring back Marvel’s famous superhero team, with Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach taking the lead roles.

It wasn’t just the main cast who showed up for the event. Other actors from the film like Sarah Niles, Julia Garner, Natasha Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser and Ralph Ineson walked the blue carpet too. Simu Liu from Shang-Chi, Arian Moayed from Succession and Niousha Noor from The Persian Version also made appearances.

Past Fantastic Four actors Doug Jones, Ioan Gruffudd and Rebecca Staab came along to see how the new version of the story would unfold. The film’s robot character H.

The Fantastic Four are finally back, and they made their first big appearance at the world premiere of The Fantastic Four: First Steps in Los Angeles.

The premiere was held at the famous Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, where the movie’s four stars, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, showed up to celebrate their roles as Marvel’s First Family.

It wasn’t just the main cast walking the blue carpet. The event also welcomed other stars from the film like Sarah Niles, Julia Garner, Natasha Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser, and Ralph Ineson. Familiar faces from past Marvel projects also made an appearance, including Simu Liu from Shang-Chi and Arian Moayed from Succession.

Niousha Noor from The Persian Version and even past Fantastic Four actors like Doug Jones, Ioan Gruffudd, and Rebecca Staab came to support the new reboot. Fans even got a look at the movie’s robot character H.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is still a few days from hitting the big screens, but it is already making headlines. At the world premiere of the movie, which was held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California, on July 21, Marvel’s First Family wasn’t the only one drawing the attention of the cameras and fans worldwide.

This was because numerous other celebrities effortlessly stole the spotlight at the event. One of these was none other than Frank Grillo – a former player in the Marvel Cinematic Universe who switched lanes and is now a part of James Gunn’s revamped DC Universe.

Frank Grillo at #TheFantasticFour world premiere. pic.twitter.com/PKrlSCM5sZ

— Marvel Updates (@marvel_updat3s) July 22, 2025

The star previously became a famous face in the MCU for his performance as Brock Rumlow aka Crossbones in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and Captain America: Civil War (2016). Currently,...