Listen up, cinephiles, because it’s clobberin’ time!
The Cinematic Schematic is here with our Marvel summer extravaganza featuring a review of Fantastic Four: First Steps.
In this episode, we talk about the recent Kevin Feige interview, hinting at the state of Hollywood’s most reliable hitmaker over the last two decades. Then we take on the 37th entry in the megafranchise.
It’s been a long road to seeing the Fantastic Four join the
Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Marvel’s first family spent decades under 20th Century Fox. They first received two film adaptations under director Tim Story in 2005 and 2007, starring
Ioan Gruffudd,
Jessica Alba,
Chris Evans,
and Michael Chiklis. In 2015, director Josh Trank failed with a darker spin on the characters with stars
Miles Teller,
Kate Mara,
Michael B. Jordan, and
Jamie Bell.
The impossible finally became an inevitability after the 20th Century Fox acquisition by Disney in 2019. Reed and Sue Richards, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm were finally stepping under the same umbrella as Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, and Black Widow.
Fantastic Four: First Steps is directed by
Matt Shakman (
Wandavision, Game of Thrones) and stars
Pedro Pascal,
Vanessa Kirby,
Joseph Quinn, and
Ebon Moss-Bachrach. This iteration of the family is living in their retrofuturist society on Earth 828, completely isolated from the events we’ve been following since Iron Man in 2008 on Earth 616.
Do they offer enough fresh ideas into the well-worn superhero genre to win back audiences?
Meet the Fantastic Four Film Critics
Caleb Masters and Laron Chapman are joined by
returning guests and MCU aficionados Arthur Gordon from GoodTrash Media, and OKC filmmaker Jada Merritt.
Left to Right: Jada Merritt, Laron Chapman, Arthur Gordon, and Caleb Masters.
Laron’s Take on Superman
Time Stamp: 6:12
