Credit: Lionsgate/Marvel, edited by Inside the MagicThis week, Marvel Studios treated fans to a very special Valentine with the reveal of the MCU’s version of Marvel’s first family. As excited as many are to see the likes of Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Susan Storm/Invisible Woman), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm/The Thing), and Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm/Human Torch) stepping into the blue suits of the Fantastic 4, the adaptation is also taking a much-needed (and predicted) step back.
The promotional artwork above shows the team in period-accurate attire for a swinging ’60s adaptation of the original Marvel Comics. What appears to be a fun callback to the early days of the brand might actually be a step toward a full-length period film by way of the MCU. All that’s missing is Doctor Doom in a lime-green turtleneck.
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Of all the characters the studio has struggled to adapt, the Fantastic Four has presented a persistent problem. Although many fans have a soft spot for the 2005 adaptation and the 2015 film tried the popular dark-and-edgy approach, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has yet to have its own canonical version of the famous foursome.
That might soon be remedied as Marvel’s reveal didn’t just introduce fans to the new casting, but also a new direction that has been at the back of our minds for years. Along with going back to Marvel’s original superhero team, the studio is also taking them back to their roots.
‘The Fantastic 4’ Gets Fab with a ’60s Twist
First appearing in 1961, the Fantastic Four took the comic book world by storm in Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s clobberin’ hit before the superhero craze officially took off. Since the team practically set the bar for many heroes, metahumans, and mutants that followed, it’s only fitting that the MCU keeps that fact relevant in cinematic form.
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With the rise of superhero fatigue, many have pleaded to Marvel that they just want a good, old-fashioned, fun superhero film. As demonstrated by the reveal, the characters will be what truly gets audiences’ attention. That and we can’t exactly see anything emotionally crippling coming out of Herbie the Robot.
Inside the Magic predicted in 2022 that the new Fantastic Four adaptation would more than likely be a period film, and the artwork featuring Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, and Susan and Johnny Storm in fabulous ’60s-inspired attire with an art deco flair all but confirms that idea.
“A period movie would allow the Fantastic Four just to be a fun superhero flick akin to Sam Rami’s Spider-Man franchise. With the Scarlet Witch saga and the upcoming Kang films and Secret Wars, the MCU will be stuffed to the gills with deep, plot-heavy subject matter, a straight-forward superhero adventure would be a refreshing change of pace. They don’t have to get silly and over the top with it, as they did with Thor: Love and Thunder, a hard-hitting sci-fi action film that utilizes classic comic book motifs of the 1960s are bound to go a long way.”
While this might still just be a colorful design choice, it definitely makes sense that Marvel would at least want to try toying with a different timeline. Additionally, other projects flirt with the decades.
Wandavision, Loki, Werewolf by Night, and Captain Marvel utilized alternative time periods, settings, and motifs to bring their stories to life and set them apart from other core Marvel series. What’s to stop the Fantastic 4 from doing the same thing on a much bigger scale?
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The Fantastic 4 (2025) could very well be the return to form the studio has needed for the past few years. By utilizing vintage and even stereotypical elements of the genre, the new variant of the team could bring Marvel’s fan following back by reminding them of what made them love superheroes in the first place.
Will the Fantastic Four get back to where they once belonged? Tell Inside the Magic what you think in the comments below!