The New ‘Fantastic Four’ Movie Will Need To Work Hard To Match The 2005 Film

What? I’m not trolling here, I promise.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps does need to do a lot of heavy lifting to be better than 2005’s Fantastic Four. While most people get the ick when thinking about Tim Story’s superhero film, it’s actually much better than you remember. In fact, it may be impossible to top when it comes to Marvel’s First Family.

As a property, Fantastic Four is just goofy in general

Honestly, think about it for a second. One character possesses the ability to stretch his limbs, another holds the power of invisibility, the other can turn into flames and fly, and one guy is, well, a rock. These are the types of superpowers that kids come up with on the playground while they play superheroes with their friends. To make matters worse, they dress up in all-blue spandex and call themselves the Fantastic Four.

If someone made this story for Netflix today, we would all laugh about it, and the memes would be exquisite. As a superhero team, the Fantastic Four remains rooted in the goofiness of the ’60s. It’s like Batman ’66 – you aren’t meant to take it seriously at all. Yes, there’s heart in it, but it’s cheesy. The 2005 Fantastic Four movie captures this to perfection – whether it be Reed Richards tripping over his tongue when it comes to Sue Storm, or Johnny Storm using his newfound superpowers to gain the public’s attention. It’s the pitch-perfect tone of what you would have expected from the comics made famous by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee.

While The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailers look like the movie doesn’t take itself too seriously and there are lighthearted elements, it remains to be seen if this is the final tone. If the group is joining the wider MCU for the big team-up Avengers movies, chances are it will need to adapt.

The casting for 2005’s ‘Fantastic Four’ is, well, fantastic

Yeah, a lot of people give Jessica Alba stick as Sue Storm in the movie, but it isn’t like she’s the worst actor to ever portray Sue – or have we forgotten about Kate Mar’s evolving wig in 2015’s Fantastic Four? But the rest of the casting in the 2005 film is actually incredible. Ioan Gruffudd not only looks like a comics-accurate version of Reed Richards, but he also understands the nerdy elements of the character. Chris Evans is phenomenal as the cocky Johnny Storm; his well-received cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine says all you need to know about the character. Then there’s Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm – The Shield actor grasps the harder and softer edges of the character; plus can you hear anyone else’s voice but his when you think of the Thing? Heck, even Julian McMahon brings something sinister and charming to the part of Victor Von Doom, making for an unforgettable villain.

In terms of the casting for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, there’s no doubt that Marvel Studios selected talented actors for the parts. Although, considering how cool Pedro Pascal is, would he really be anyone’s first choice as the usually awkward Reed Richards? Pascal knows what he’s doing in his craft, so let’s reserve judgement on that casting until the final film arrives. That said, is it as good as 2005’s casting? Hmm…

‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ arrives nearly 20 years to the day after the 2005 movie

While everyone loses their minds about Spider-Man, X-Men, and the Avengers, there’s a reason the Fantastic Four is considered Marvel’s First Family. It’s the series that changed everything for the publisher. Stan Lee was ready to quit his career as a comic book creator when he gave it one more shot and rolled the dice. Along with Jack Kirby, he created the lovable goofballs known as the Fantastic Four – a family of superheroes who bicker but always fight harder for each other. The stories combine heroism with elements of ’60s sitcoms, creating memorable adventures that hit the sweet spot of those looking for action, humor, and heart.

There’s a lot resting on The Fantastic Four: First Steps, especially after the 2015 misfire made everyone forget about the family for a decade. That being said, the template for a good Fantastic Four movie existed back in 2005. Sure, there are a few rough edges and thorny bits in the middle, but it’s still an enjoyable film overall. Or would you rather sit through another screening of Madame Web or Kraven the Hunter? Yeah, I thought so.