We’ve been waiting with bated breath for some official news on Marvel’s Fantastic Four movie for a long time – now, in perhaps expected fashion, we’ve received three big updates at once.
First up, the Marvel Phase 6 movie has a new title: it’s now called The Fantastic 4, which is a two-fold marketing plot from Marvel Studios. For one, it’s a pleasing call-back to the title of the iconic superhero group’s first-ever comic book – The Fantastic Four #1, which was released in November 1961. Perhaps more important than that, though, The Fantastic 4 title differentiates it from the superhero team’s previous big-screen outings – those being 2005’s Fantastic Four and its 2015 reboot namesake.
But wait, there’s more. Posting on its official social media channels, including X/Twitter, Marvel also revealed the highly-anticipated film will now fly into theaters on July 25, 2025. That was the date previously held by Marvel Phase 5 film Thunderbolts, whose latest release delay is sure to bump it out of that line-up of movies and Disney Plus shows and into Phase 6.
Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four arrives in theaters July 25, 2025. pic.twitter.com/Y8KfOo8ZoZFebruary 14, 2024
Last but not least, The Fantastic 4‘s first piece of official artwork has been unveiled by Marvel (see the X post above). The Disney subsidiary revealed the film’s new name and release date alongside said artwork, which is certainly giving off the retro-futuristic vibes that the supergroup are renowned for.
It’s about time we learned something official about The Fantastic 4. Ever since the superhero movie was first announced in July 2019, there’s been no end to the speculation about who’ll play the iconic quartet. Indeed, the rumor mill has been in overdrive for at least 18 months, with a number of big-name stars reportedly holding talks with Marvel about appearing in the forthcoming flick.
In January 2022, we first reported that Marvel was ready to cast the lead roles in its Fantastic Four film, only for the comic book giant to, well, not do so. Since then, Jurassic World star Bryce Dallas Howard has batted away suggestions she would play Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, Star Wars alumnus Adam Driver was linked with playing the group’s legendary villain Doctor Doom plus the group’s leader Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, and the likes of Margot Robbie, Paul Mescal, and Dev Patel were reportedly tapped for different roles.
All in all, the sheer number of Fantastic Four movie cast rumors sent Marvel fans into a tailspin, and led director Matt Shakman to ask fans to ignore the growing speculation about who would feature.
Thankfully, it seems that the never-ending rumors will be a thing of the past soon. Per an unlikely source, Marvel has officially cast Pedro Pascal as Mr. Fantastic – the apparent confirmation coming three months after The Last of Us‘ Pascal was reportedly tapped to star in the Marvel film. It seems Vanessa Kirby will play Storm, too, with the Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning actor coyly telling TechRadar it “would be an honor” to portray The Invisible Woman in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
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