Ms. Marvel’s Iman Vellani has nothing but praise forThe Fantastic Four: First Steps. The latest movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the new releasefirst entered theaters on July 25. After decades of disappointingFantastic Fourmovies, it is the first release in the franchise’s history to earn critical and audience acclaim.
First Stepsrepresented the MCU’s introduction to more than justthe Fantastic Four, of course, as it also featured the cosmic entity, Galactus. WhereasFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer(2007)depicted Galactus as a gigantic cloud, this release features him as a gigantic half-robotic monster who consumes planets to satiate his hunger.
Vellanni, who is famous for her love for comics, believes that the depiction completely changed the Fantastic Four’s on-screen presence. In her personalLetterboxdratings, she offered a detailed review of the movie, complete withpraise for Galactus' overwhelming presence. Check out her quote below:
Praise be! At long last, my big hungry boy has been liberated from cloud purgatory! Man’s got limbs! A torso! An appetite! What a time to be alive!
What This Means For Fantastic Four And The MCU
Vellani is certainly not alone in her appraisal. The movie earned an86% Tomatometer scoreand a92% Popcornmeter scoreon the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, which is the highest set of scores in the history oftheFantastic Fourfranchise. Check out the chart below, which showcases the scores of all four movies:
33%
32%
28%
45%
37%
51%
9%
18%
86%
92%
First Stepsis theonly movie in the franchise to earn a positive Tomatometer scoreand the first to earn a positive Popcornmeter score. This is partly because of the changes to Galactus, given that this is the first movie to feature an effective villain. Rather than featuring a gigantic cloud, Galactus is finally depicted as a truly frightening enemy.
WhileFirst Stepsis undoubtedly struggling at the box office, especially when compared toSuperman(2025), it has connected with the viewers who did visit theaters.It will eventually begin streaming, where it could still try to achieve some measure of long-term profitability.
Vellani’s endorsement could be a positive sign for the franchise, but it is difficult to rely on her response altogether. After all, she is actively employed by Marvel Studios. In reality,Vellani’s approval is unlikely to move the needlefor the movie, but it could compel some viewers to stream the movie when it appears on Disney+.
Our Take On The New Galactus
The new Galactusis certainly something to be excited about, as it is thefirst true live-action adaptation of the character. He is ominous throughout the movie and maintains a strong presence even when he is no longer on screen. Unfortunately, the final act gives him little chance to truly fight back against theFantastic Four, despite his immense power.
Velanni loves the original comics, so it is only natural that she would love this adaptation as well. Unfortunately, whileThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsis a promising adaptation for comic readers, Velanni’s approval is unlikely to change much for the general audience, who will likely wait several months for the streaming release.
