# The Fantastic Four: First Steps - pre-release discussion **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [February 4, 2025, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874 "2025-02-04T16:00:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/21 "2025-02-04T19:13:55Z")
> [@OldManLogan](#): > > Down to the Mole Man. I have long thought Dustin Hoffman would make a superlative Mole Man, giving the character the dignity and nobility it deserves while evoking all the menace of an aged Ratso Rizzo (had he lived). Hoffman could masterfully straddle the line between self-righteousness and silliness. Even better, Mole Man’s gripe with the surface-dwellers could be made legit (i.e., they’re fucking up the planet), giving the role a more complex edge to mine. He’s not really a villain and determined he and his realm will not become victims. As for the trailer, Herbie’s bad enough. I fear it’s only a matter of time before Impossible Man shows up. ---
**Author:** ![OldManLogan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oldmanlogan/32/5237_2.png) [@OldManLogan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldManLogan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/22 "2025-02-04T19:22:50Z")
> [@Dropo](#): > > I fear it’s only a matter of time before Impossible Man shows up. I know you kid, but I don’t think he’d work in live action (basically Deadpool without any charisma). Impossible Man could survive in animation. He would make a very frustrating episode of What If. But retro Herbie in one or two scenes helps establish the tone and setting. Anything more would be distracting. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/23 "2025-02-04T20:08:19Z")
Is Richie from The Bear playing Ben Grimm? Nice touch with him complimenting the food but then “adjusting” it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/24 "2025-02-04T20:11:29Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Pedro Pascal is a great actor but I think he is miscast as Reed Richards. He has the wrong bearing for the character. I don’t know how else to explain it. Weirdly enough, I think Pedro Pascal is too charismatic. He can’t turn it off. I watched all of _The Last Of Us_, and even though he played a curmudgeonly survivalist, somehow he was still charismatic. He can’t help it. The only time I’ve seen him not be that way was in _The Mandalorian_, but that only worked because he always had a helmet on. Reed Richards is a stuffy dork. Brilliant and heroic but super generic vanilla starched-shirt stereotypical 50s sitcom husband. That’s how he always came across to me. I hated the 2005 _Fantastic Four_ movie, but one of the few things they got right was casting Ioan Gruffud as Reed. He could pull that off. Even John Krasinski seemed to make it work in his brief time as Richards in the Dr. Strange film. All that being said… Different isn’t always worse. (Something comic book nerds and geeks of all kinds should remember.) Much of classic Reed is pretty boring. Maybe Pascal bringing his own spin to the character will make him more likeable. I certainly didn’t **like** the Gruffud version even though it came so close to the comic book version. Maybe you can’t really have a good film without adapting some of the stuff from the comics. I’m willing to have an open mind. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/25 "2025-02-04T20:13:16Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Is Richie from The Bear playing Ben Grimm? Yup. I liked him in _Andor_ also. It’s not his first foray into Disney projects. ETA: Holy crap, I just looked him up in IMDb and didn’t realize he was in the Punisher series on Netflix too (that was 8 years ago). He was one of the main characters! So he’s been in the MCU already. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/26 "2025-02-04T20:16:37Z")
Wow, I had no idea he was in Andor. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/27 "2025-02-04T20:18:20Z")
Only 3 episodes, but he was a pretty pivotal character. [![](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/3/33/ArvelSkeen-CGSWG.png) ](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/3/33/ArvelSkeen-CGSWG.png) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/28 "2025-02-04T20:22:21Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Reed Richards is a stuffy dork. Brilliant and heroic but super generic vanilla starched-shirt stereotypical 50s sitcom husband. That’s how he always came across to me. To me, he’s the Professor from GILLIGAN’S ISLAND. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/29 "2025-02-04T20:29:13Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > To me, he’s the Professor from GILLIGAN’S ISLAND. Yes! Exactly! You nailed it, LOL. Yes, that’s 100% who he is. If the Professor had stretchy powers and wore a blue leotard with a big number 4 on it, you have Reed Richards. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/30 "2025-02-04T20:34:18Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Reed Richards is a stuffy dork. Brilliant and heroic but super generic vanilla starched-shirt stereotypical 50s sitcom husband. That’s how he always came across to me. Definitely agreed. He’s like the non-charismatic flip-side of Tony Stark. One actor who I long thought would have been good as Reed Richards is Timothy Omundson (Lassiter on _Psych_, King Richard on _Galavant_). Though, he’s probably too old at this point, and is physically limited after suffering a stroke in 2017. Anyway, the trailer looks interesting, and I’m hopeful that they are able to make a good movie out of this, for once. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/31 "2025-02-04T20:38:44Z")
While I love the MCU, I don’t read comics, and I don’t know much about the Fantastic Four. That teaser was… not impressive. Although I suppose I wasn’t its target audience. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/32 "2025-02-04T20:41:05Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > One actor who I long thought would have been good as Reed Richards is Timothy Omundson (Lassiter on _Psych_, King Richard on _Galavant_). Omundson as Richards back in the day would have been great casting. I also like him as an actor; he can be super serious and also silly. He can play a total asshole and also be likeable. (I know him from _Psych_, I loved that show, and also he had a brief role on the show _Supernatural_ as the biblical Cain.) He had the range to do the role justice. I am a big fan of Pedro Pascal so I’m giving it a chance, but not everything he does works. (I’m looking at you, _Wonder Woman 1984_.) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/33 "2025-02-04T20:43:16Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > One actor who I long thought would have been good as Reed Richards is Timothy Omundson (Lassiter on _Psych_, King Richard on _Galavant_). Though, he’s probably too old at this point, and is physically limited after suffering a stroke in 2017. He’s been limited enough that he is only able to play the role of “Man who had a stroke.” ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/34 "2025-02-04T20:47:01Z")
It’s a pity Rex Reason isn’t with us anymore. With his handsome looks, his pleasant but bland personality, and his stentorian voice, he’s who I always imagined Reed Richards to be. He even had the same initials! ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/35 "2025-02-04T20:47:18Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > While I love the MCU, I don’t read comics, and I don’t know much about the Fantastic Four. That teaser was… not impressive. Although I suppose I wasn’t its target audience. I feel the opposite. As a first teaser it did its job very well. It showed the setting. It got you to see the actors in their roles. Then it briefly teased what the movie is about. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/36 "2025-02-04T20:48:45Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > He even had the same initials! Stan Lee was probably jealous that he didn’t name Mr. Fantastic “Rex Reason”. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/37 "2025-02-04T20:50:19Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > As a first teaser it did its job very well. It showed the setting. It got you to see the actors in their roles. Then it briefly teased what the movie is about. It did those things, but it didn’t give me a reason to want to see the movie. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/38 "2025-02-04T21:08:55Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I hope it is good, though no one has been able to make a good one of these yet Well, two of the films spent way too much time on how they gained their powers and them learning to use them, and very little time of superhero crime fighting. The 2005 film had the great Ioan Gruffudd (who was too charismatic for Reed) but also sadly- Jessica Alba. The 2015 had a altorigin story, but still, and it was horrible. I missed _Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer_, but apparently it wasnt as bad. Looks like in this film there are going for a cool retro 50’s look, and will do the origin story in a series of flashbacks. > [@silenus](#): > > Personally I think using Dr. Doom or Galactus in the “first” movie is a big mistake, for the same reason using the Joker in the first Batman movie was a mistake. Yep. Have them fight some lesser villains. > [@CalMeacham](#): > > I have to agree with **DigitalC** that Pixar nailed this – their _Incredibles_ basically took the FF and ran with it. Helen Parr/Elastigirl’s movements are fluid and graceful and don’t look silly at all. Yeah, but it wasnt FF. The powers are different, and Mr Incredible doesnt match any FF. Not to mention, there are several/many stretchy supes, even one who is female. _Increibles_ is original, even tho they use standard tropes. > [@Alessan](#): > > It did those things, but it didn’t give me a reason to want to see the movie. Yeah, sadly. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/39 "2025-02-04T21:23:28Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@silenus](#): > > > > Personally I think using Dr. Doom or Galactus in the “first” movie is a big mistake, for the same reason using the Joker in the first Batman movie was a mistake. > > Yep. Have them fight some lesser villains. Naw. The FF are cosmic level heroes, which is why I thought Doctor Doom was an unworthy foil in the last four films. Go big or go home. And Galactus is as big as it gets. The world-eater also gives filmmakers another crack at the Silver Surfer. The best thing about that teaser is that, unlike anything else in the MCU, it looks like it was actually inspired by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/40 "2025-02-04T21:25:39Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > Stretching is an inherently silly power Unlike the others 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874.md?page=3)