Entertainment

Now Playing: The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Marvel’s first family, finally done right

Published

July 23, 2025

Unlike many of the superhero flicks that came out in the mid 2000s, I wasn’t at all familiar with the true nature of the Fantastic Four. Other than shaky memories of old cartoons I saw on TV, the 2005 film was basically my first introduction to their origin story.

It wasn’t until years later that I learned just how much of a disservice it had done to their general characterizations. Don’t get me wrong. Those two films have a special place in my heart (mostly because of Jessica Alba). But the MCU’s latest – The Fantastic Four: First Steps – absolutely hit the nail on the head.

Instead of just caricatures or stereotypes with lines, the film does a lot to show us who Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Ben Grimm, and Johnny Storm are as people. We’re shown how they feel, what burdens them, and why they do what they do.

Mathematical. Ethical. Available.

(L-R) Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic and Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman.

These were lines uttered by Reed (Pedro Pascal) and repeated by Sue (Vanessa Kirby) as they debated over the central conflict of the film. This scene stuck out the most to me because it perfectly characterized Reed and Sue.

I really can’t be too specific here but this scene was the perfect encapsulation of Reed Richards. He is a man “cursed with knowledge” but was at a complete loss on how to deal with their predicament.

Mild spoiler but this was shown in some late trailers: when Reed responded “I don’t know” to a reporter, that said a lot. Smartest man in the universe, and that was all he could muster.

Sue, meanwhile, shines as both the moral compass and emotional anchor of the team…err, the family. This film gives her strength and agency that the previous iterations simply failed to do.

Pascal and Kirby’s Reed and Sue are the best on-screen versions of the characters. Full stop.

Ben and Johnny

Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing.

Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) was absolutely charming in this film. He was always bright and cheerful in a way that’s super endearing.

He is, of course, still tortured by the same “thing” that previous versions of this character were. But here, it was handled very subtly. He was shown to be a dependable pillar without being imposing.

Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch

Johnny Storm also feels right. Still played to be a ladies’ man, Joseph Quinn’s Johnny is more boy-next-door playful rather than Chris Evans’ matinee idol asshole.

He also gets to show off sides of himself that add more layers to the character. Certainly much more than what we’ve seen before.

More than their powers

Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps does a fantastic job of showing us that these aren’t just Mr. Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, The Thing, and The Human Torch. They are Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny.

They’re explorers before they’re superheroes, and humans before they’re public figures. And they do what they do to protect and preserve their family (you know the meme).

Galactus and The Herald

Scene still from 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS.

First of all, I’m just glad we finally got a proper Galactus and not just some space clouds. In this film, the Planet-devouring entity was colossal, overwhelming, and for all intents and purposes, a force that precedes nature itself.

Galactus was as unstoppable and imposing as he needed to be. I’m personally enthused that Ralph Ineson was cast for this role. I first learned of him in Final Fantasy 16 where he played Cid. Just loved his voice so much and knew it would be perfect for Galactus.

Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer.

The choice to go with a female Silver Surfer worked out for this particular story. She had plenty of moments with Johnny that culminated in a scene where both characters got to shine.

Should you watch The Fantastic Four: First Steps?

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a film that finally gets Marvel’s first family right. The audience is primed to appreciate the characters for who they are, not just because they gained powers.

The film’s central conflict is a moral dilemma — one that’s been asked hypothetically in media, during post-night-out chats, drunken sleepovers, and the like. It’s not a new question but one that’s tackled here sincerely without being preachy.

I haven’t even talked about how gorgeous retro-future New York looks!

As an MCU film, this one barely requires any homework from previous films in the franchise. As a standalone film, it has a good balance of deep character moments, lighthearted banter, and superhero spectacle.

Overall, this is an easy Swipe Right. It’s heartfelt, heroic, and finally gives Marvel’s first family the spotlight they deserve.

Entertainment

Marvel New York Comic Con: Major updates, 2026 Disney+ slate

X-Men ’97 Season 2, VisionQuest, more

Published

October 20, 2025

GadgetMatch

Marvel Television and Marvel Animation dropped major updates at New York Comic Con 2025, giving fans what to expect for 2026 on Disney+.

The Marvel panel showcased exclusive footage and surprise guests, hosted by Phase Hero’s Brandon Davis and Brad Winderbaum.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man – Season 2 (Fall 2026)

Marvel Animation’s Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is set to return for a second season.

Teaser footage showed a familiar, sentient black goo—hinting at new, intriguing twists for Peter Parker’s world.

X-Men ‘97 – Season 2 (Summer 2026)

X-Men ‘97 Season 2 was one of the major highlights of the panel. Eric and Julia Lewald, the original series creators, returned as Executive Producers, joined by director Larry Houston.

They gave fans a sneak peek of what’s to come, along with exclusive footage from the upcoming season.

Daredevil: Born Again – Season 2 (March 2026)

Marvel’s Daredevil franchise continues to grow, with Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again confirmed for 1Q 2026.

Charlie Cox and Krysten Ritter (reprising her role as Jessica Jones) joined the stage to discuss where their characters will go next.

On top of that, was a special announcement that Season 3 is already in development.

Wonder Man (January 27, 2026)

Moreover, releasing early next year is an exciting new eight-episode series: Wonder Man. This stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Sir Ben Kingsley.

The show takes a unique approach by exploring the behind-the-scenes chaos of a superhero movie remake. At the panel, the first trailer for the series also dropped.

VisionQuest (2026)

The final surprise of the panel was VisionQuest, the much-anticipated continuation of the story that began with WandaVision and continued with Agatha All Along.

Paul Bettany joined the panel to talk about Vision’s next chapter and his reunion with James Spader’s Ultron.

Entertainment

A Minecraft Movie is getting a sequel

It’s scheduled to premiere in July 2027.

Published

October 10, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

A Minecraft Movie was decidedly not for me. However, there’s no denying how much the movie was so effective for younger fans and gamers who grew up with Minecraft. It’s one of the highest-grossing movies this year. Even if I didn’t personally like it, I still consider it a success for videogame adaptations. Now, recognizing the film’s success, Warner Bros. has signed off on a sequel to Jack Black’s blocky caper, as confirmed by Variety.

It’s a mystery where the sequel will take players. Not to spoil anything, but the original movie did end with virtually loose ends neatly tied into a bow. Then again, Minecraft is an endless well of content. Where one story ends, another can just as easily open up in its place. As a game, it’s a completely open sandbox where nothing is limited.

However, to establish continuity, the sequel is reportedly tapping the talents of director Jared Hess once again. Chris Galleta might also come back to write the screenplay.

Interestingly, Jack Black is not confirmed yet. But given how much of a star he was as Steve, it’s hard to imagine a sequel without his energy, so it’s likely that he’s coming back. On a more positive note, Jason Momoa, who co-starred as Garrett Garrison, is expected to co-produce the sequel.

Warner Bros. has currently scheduled the sequel’s premiere on July 23, 2027.

SEE ALSO: Now Playing: A Minecraft Movie

Entertainment

Is this baby Rosalina in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie?

The unnamed baby is wearing the same colors and has a wand.

Published

October 8, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

Less than a month ago, Nintendo announced a sequel to the widely lauded Super Mario Bros. Movie. The upcoming Super Mario Galaxy Movie will take audiences to outer space. It’s based, of course, on the game of the same name. Since the movie is coming out in the first half of 2026, Nintendo doesn’t have a lot of time to hype audiences for the sequel. However, the company might have just sneakily released its first teaser.

Right now, we don’t know much about the sequel’s story. All we know is that most of the main cast is coming back to reprise their roles, including Jack Black as Bowser. However, we still haven’t seen hints of a new character critical to the Galaxy series: Rosalina.

Today, Nintendo posted a mysterious video, titled Close to You, on its social platforms. The four-minute animated video shows an unnamed baby playing in their room. Suddenly, their pacifier starts floating away. The baby tries to get it back, but it floats to a mobile high up above the baby’s crib. The baby then presumably takes their first steps and falls before their mom catches them. Then, the video ends abruptly without so much as a title card.

Though the video is a mystery, there’s a high chance that the baby is Rosalina, Super Mario Galaxy’s space princess. The baby, who is also blonde, is coincidentally wearing the same colors as Rosalina. For a short time, they’re also holding what looks like a wand. Could this be a baby Rosalina?

Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait for Nintendo to confirm the baby’s identity… or even what this video is about. If it is a teaser for the movie, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie premieres on April 3, 2026.