A Fantastic Night
with New Heroes

At a time when superhero movies were losing the audience's favor, The Fantastic 4: First Steps premiered and changed the vibe. This isn't to say that the mood shifted; most people are still weary of the same old comic book adaptations. But this film added a new, exciting energy to the whole thing.

After the MCU dominated the box office throughout the 2010s, its popularity waned as the new decade began. Audiences had grown tired of superhero movies, despite the spectacle, and craved newer, more original films that didn't rely on popular IP. As a result, many of Marvel's latest films failed to earn as much as its previous films.

But Marvel Studios pushed on, and despite a failed attempt in 2015, they released a new Fantastic 4 film with an entirely new cast. Coincidentally—or maybe not—the main foursome consists of popular TV stars. Pedro Pascal from Game of Thrones, Vanessa Kirby from The Crown, Joseph Quinn from Stranger Things, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach from The Bear.

As if to guarantee the film's success, they cast familiar names as the new Fantastic 4, and, to their credit, the film became a solid box-office success. Though it didn't turn the tide for superhero films, it earned enough to encourage the studio to keep pushing forward.

The vibes were just as optimistic at the movie's world premiere at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles on July 21, 2025. People were genuinely excited for the new film, despite plenty of skepticism going in. This new adaptation felt like a fresh start for the MCU, and everyone was curious how it would go.

For me, I focused on getting the cast's autographs. I began collecting them at the height of the MCU's dominance around 2018, when Infinity War premiered, and since then, I've been going to Marvel movie premieres to get posters signed. This night was no different.

I eventually met the main foursome, and they were just as delightful as I expected. Pascal was nice and charismatic, Kirby looked beautiful and elegant, Quinn stood firm and confident, and Moss-Bachrach maintained a personable vibe throughout the night. It seemed they were even confident this new film wouldn't tank like some of the previous MCU releases did. And they were right.

The Fantastic 4: First Steps eventually out-grossed both Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* worldwide. Some even say that it's this phase's new Iron Man, a potential opening of the floodgates for more comic book adaptations. Only time will tell if that comes to pass.

I was grateful to have had a fantastic night with the new Fantastic 4. I'm a huge fan of the early 2000s versions myself, but this new cast wasn't bad. They were good enough to make the movie a success, and I'm sure they'll fit right in with whatever the MCU plans for them.

I'm also happy I got their autographs, along with the rest of the cast, and this poster is staying with me for good. I only hope their future movies will prove just as successful, too.