Ms. Marvel‘s Iman Vellani has nothing but praise for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The latest movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the new release first entered theaters on July 25. After decades of disappointing Fantastic Four movies, it is the first release in the franchise’s history to earn critical and audience acclaim.
First Steps represented the MCU’s introduction to more than just the Fantastic Four, of course, as it also featured the cosmic enтιтy, Galactus. Whereas Fantastic 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 personal Letterboxd ratings, she offered a detailed review of the movie, complete with praise 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 appeтιтe! 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 an 86% Tomatometer score and a 92% Popcornmeter score on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, which is the highest set of scores in the history of the Fantastic Four franchise. Check out the chart below, which showcases the scores of all four movies:
|
тιтle |
Tomatometer Score |
Popcornmeter Score |
|---|---|---|
|
The Fantastic Four (1994) |
33% |
32% |
|
Fantastic Four (2005) |
28% |
45% |
|
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) |
37% |
51% |
|
Fantastic Four (2015) |
9% |
18% |
|
The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) |
86% |
92% |
First Steps is the only movie in the franchise to earn a positive Tomatometer score and 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.
While First Steps is undoubtedly struggling at the box office, especially when compared to Superman (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 needle for 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 Galactus is certainly something to be excited about, as it is the first 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 the Fantastic Four, despite his immense power.
Velanni loves the original comics, so it is only natural that she would love this adaptation as well. Unfortunately, while The Fantastic Four: First Steps is 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.
Source: Letterboxd
