The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025): Full list of cast and characters explored
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Cast & crew members of The Fantastic Four: First Steps (Image via Instagram/@fantasticfour)The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a 2025 Marvel Studios film written by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer, from a story also contributed by Kat Wood and Matt Shakman, who directed the film and is well-known for his work on WandaVision. The movie, based on the Marvel Comics superhero team Fantastic Four, is reinterpreted as an alternate-universe genesis narrative on Earth 828 in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The film premiered in the United States on July 25, 2025, kicking off MCU Phase Six after a global debut slightly earlier in other markets. Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm are the already-powerful Fantastic Four, and they are expecting a child in this retro-futuristic other reality (Earth 828), which is based on the 1960s. The team rejects the arrival of the cosmic entity Galactus, who demands Sue's unborn son Franklin.
A high-stakes conflict between teleportation bridges and Silver Surfer follows. After giving her life to push Galactus through the vortex, Sue is brought back to life by Franklin's newly discovered abilities. In the post-credits sequence, there is a hint of Doctor Doom.
The film has a runtime of 114 minutes. Both viewers and critics have enjoyed the movie. The Fantastic Four: First Steps three has a 88% "fresh" certification and a 92% audience score on the movie and television rating website Rotten Tomatoes.
Exploring the cast & characters of The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic
In The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Pedro Pascal plays Reed Richards, also known as Mister Fantastic. His incredible flexibility and unparalleled intelligence make him the leader of Marvel's First Family, combining elements of Robert Moses, Einstein, and Steve Jobs. Reed is a "brain character," according to Pascal, who is motivated by strategy and research but also rooted in familial affection, particularly his close relationship with Sue and their unborn child.
Reed is the most intelligent person on the planet (828), and he can extend himself to incredible lengths. Even though his intelligence is what makes him unique, he frequently finds it difficult to connect emotionally, wanting to be there for his family while bearing the burden of world fate. Pascal channeled Reed's adaptive intelligence by drawing inspiration from the genius of an octopus.
American actor Pedro Pascal was born April 2, 1975. Some of his recent work are Materialists (2025), The Last of Us (2025), and Eddington (2025).
Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm / Invisible Woman
In the film The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Vanessa Kirby plays the role of Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman. Sue, a pregnant team member, adds diplomatic grace and emotional intelligence to the dynamic. She can generate strong force fields to defend others and bend light to make herself invisible. Since Sue's pregnancy is a major plot point, Galactus views her unborn child Franklin as a cosmic target because of his enormous potential.
Kirby studied quantum physics and immersed herself in Sue's psychological depth in order to better represent her inner strength and maternal traits. Many critics have commended Kirby for giving one of the most powerful, nuanced performances of the character in the MCU, as Sue emerges as the emotional core of the First Family, juggling cosmic stakes with maternal instincts.
English actress Vanessa Kirby has won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress, and has received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her notable works include Eden (2024), The Strange Case (2024)
Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm / The Thing
In the movie, Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays Ben Grimm, also known as The Thing. A former astronaut and Reed's devoted closest friend, Grimm changes into a massive orange-rock humanoid with extraordinary strength and durability after being exposed to cosmic rays. Moss-Bachrach portrays him via motion-capture, giving him a tender side beneath the tough façade. He portrays a fiercely committed combatant who struggles to balance his new identity with his personal struggles.
The American actor is known for his work in films such as The Bear (2022-25) and Rick and Morty (2025)
Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm / Human Torch
Joseph Quinn plays Johnny Storm, the Human Torch in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Sue Storm's younger brother, Johnny, was given fiery abilities by cosmic rays that allowed him to fly, control fire, and wrap himself in flames. Quinn's portrayal of Johnny keeps his trademark humor and bluster, but he is reframed as more thoughtful and self-aware, with his womanizing toned down for contemporary tastes.
English actor Joseph Quinn was born on January 26, 1994. Some of his works are Warfare (2025), Stranger Things (2022).
Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal / Silver Surfer
The Fantastic Four: First Steps features Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal, a reinvented Silver Surfer. Shalla-Bal, in contrast to the traditional male herald Norrin Radd, serves Galactus with an air of mystery and neutrality. Her motivations are unclear and internal conflict is simmering beneath the metal exterior. Garner's performance combines a haunting electric crossing of personal struggle and cosmic obligation with exquisite, motion-capture movement.
Julia Garner is a model and actress from the United States. She starred in the movies The Royal Hotel (2023) and Wolf Man (2025).
Ralph Ineson as Galactus
Ralph Ineson plays Galactus with a towering grandeur. Galactus is portrayed by Ineson as a cosmic force, a "14-billion-year-old planet-devouring vampire" who devours worlds out of necessity rather than malice, as "a god, of sorts" who is completely unconcerned with morality. With its angular helmet and towering purple-blue armor, this Galactus is fully realized in practical effects, in contrast to earlier MCU iterations, paying homage to the iconic comic book design. Ineson used vivid imagery to prepare for the part, drawing inspiration from seeing skyscrapers and visualizing their anatomy as Galactus's own.
Ralph Ineson is an English actor and writer. He is most well known for his work in projects such as Foundation (2021-25) and Wolf King (2025)
Supporting cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps
The film features a talented ensemble of actors in supporting roles, some of whom are listed as follows.
- Natasha Lyonne as Rachel Rozman
- Paul Walter Hauser as Harvey Elder/Mole Man
- Sarah Niles as Lynne Nichols
- Mark Gatiss as Ted Gilbert
- Ada Scott as Franklin Richards
- Matthew Wood as H.E.R.B.I.E. (voice)
- Maisie Shakman as Donna
- Alex Hyde-White as William Russell
- Rebecca Staab as Carolyn Haynes
- Patrick Miller as Larry
- Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller as Albert Taft
- Cheyenne Dasri as Sally
- Angela Jones as Mole Man Attack Witness
- Jay Underwood as Power Plant Worker #1
- Michael Bailey-Smith as Power Plant Worker #2
- Mather Zickel as Boston Newscaster
- Firdous Bamji as Yancy Street Man
- Bertie Caplan as Wiseass Kid
- Max Lester as Yancy Street Kid
- Hunter del Valle Marfo as Yancy Street Kid
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TOPICS: The Fantastic Four: First Steps , Marvel Comics