# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/41 "2025-02-04T21:26:02Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > 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. It’s been confirmed that the film takes place in an alternate 1960’s. ---
**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, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/42 "2025-02-04T21:27:02Z")
No Paste-Pot Pete, no sale. ---
**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, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/43 "2025-02-04T21:31:14Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > The FF are cosmic level heroes,… Bah. Iron man, Thor, Hulk, Carol Danvers. Those are cosmic level heroes. Mr stretchy? Nope > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > 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. Okay, I can buy that. > [@Maus\_Magill](#): > > It’s been confirmed that the film takes place in an alternate 1960’s. Okay. But to me- it looks 50’s. That car? With the fins? ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/44 "2025-02-04T21:32:42Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > 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. Well it also helps that it’s not him in the suit much of the time. > **[Did Pedro Pascal's Voice-Only Role Completely Change The Mandalorian's Story?](https://screenrant.com/pedro-pascal-voice-actor-change-the-mandalorian-season-3/)** > > Did Pedro Pascal change The Mandalorian season 3? ---
**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, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/45 "2025-02-04T21:35:27Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > > > The FF are cosmic level heroes,… > > Bah. Iron man, Thor, Hulk, Carol Danvers. Those are cosmic level heroes. Mr stretchy? Nope You’re not familiar with the original comics, are you? ---
**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, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/46 "2025-02-04T21:55:30Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Naw. The FF are cosmic level heroes, which is why I thought Doctor Doom was an unworthy foil in the last four films. Doom’s first appearance has him break out not just a jetpack and a robot double, but a _working time machine_; by ‘63 he’s got interdimensional travel on tap, and not long after he’s stolen the Silver Surfer’s powers, but, seriously: he _debuts_ as Guy Who Has A Time Machine! ---
**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, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/47 "2025-02-04T22:05:08Z")
Dr. Doom is a mad scientist who literally runs an entire country, has a super suit, and can cast magic. He pretty much checks every kind of box you can as a comic book antagonist. > **[Doctor Doom (Victor von Doom) In Comics Powers, Enemies, History | Marvel](https://www.marvel.com/characters/doctor-doom-victor-von-doom/in-comics)** > > The egostical and maniacal Dr. Doom uses his brilliant scientific mind to augment his own power and quest for control. He’s actually kind of ridiculous. It’s not that he’s not enough, he’s kind of too much. ---
**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, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/48 "2025-02-04T22:08:17Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Dr. Doom is a mad scientist who literally runs an entire country, has a super suit, and can cast magic. He pretty much checks every kind of box you can as a comic book antagonist. And he is, arguably, at least as smart, and quite possibly smarter, than Richards or Stark. ---
**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, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/49 "2025-02-04T22:27:21Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > And he is, arguably, at least as smart, and quite possibly smarter, than Richards or Stark. Is he really, though? A smart person might ask themself why they are ultimately defeated time after time by the likes of Richards or Stark. For all of his grandiosity, Doom”s goals are ambitiously petty. Which is the kind of silliness I’m a sucker for, but I find nothing actually fun about the character. I’m probably a minority of one that doesn’t rank him in even the top five FF foes. ---
**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, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/50 "2025-02-04T22:30:49Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > A smart person might ask themself why they are ultimately defeated time after time by the likes of Richards or Stark. But, like the man said: when Doom gets defeated abroad, he slinks back to _ruling an entire nation._ Dude is playing with house money. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/51 "2025-02-04T22:31:46Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Yeah, but it wasnt FF. The powers are different, and Mr Incredible doesnt match any FF. Not so. Mr. Incredible is The Thing without thebroken plantr-pot complexion. Violet, of course, is the Invisible Girl, right down to her power to make invisible force fields (something that the FF introduced to the world). Dash, with his super-speed, is the only one who doesn’t fit. But there have been “What If…?”-type versions of the Fantastic Four with variant powers. Super-speed isn’t too far off existing powers. A family team of four with the particular super powers they have and matching color uniforms made of materials that don’t impede their powers (“Unstable molecules” and whatever the hell Edna Mode uses) – yeah, they’re the Fantastic Four.(And the “Family” part fits – Johnny and Sue are brother and sister, Reed married Sue, and Ben Grimm was godfather to their kid, who they game the name “Ben” to). ---
**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, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/52 "2025-02-04T22:53:10Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Is he really, though? A smart person might ask themself why they are ultimately defeated time after time by the likes of Richards or Stark. For all of his grandiosity, Doom”s goals are ambitiously petty. In D&D terms, Doom has an off-the-scale Intelligence score, and Wisdom is his dump stat. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/53 "2025-02-05T01:08:26Z")
Doom is not supposed to be just as smart as Stark or Reed, he is also as good at magic as Strange. ---
**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 5, 2025, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/54 "2025-02-05T01:12:04Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > …he is also as good at magic as Strange. One more reason I don’t like the character. Pick a lane, Vic! ---
**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 5, 2025, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/55 "2025-02-05T01:27:24Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Pick a lane, Vic! Exactly my point earlier. It’s like the writers at Marvel couldn’t decide what kind of villain to make him, so he’s all of the villains in one character. Which just makes him boring to me. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/56 "2025-02-05T02:06:11Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > You’re not familiar with the original comics, are you? Yes, indeed I am. But I stopped reading later > [@CalMeacham](#): > > Not so. Mr. Incredible is The Thing without thebroken plantr-pot complexion. Violet, of course, is the Invisible Girl, right down to her power to make invisible force fields (something that the FF introduced to the world). Dash, with his super-speed, is the only one who doesn’t fit. But there have been Meh, Big strong guys are a dime a dozen. Hercules, Wonder man, Colossus, Captain britain, Doc Samson, Luke Cage, and even “Strong guy” and that’s just Marvel. Stretching superheroes? Elongated man, Plastic man (the OG, iirc) , Elasti-Man, Elasti-Girl (not to be confused with Elastigirl, without the hyphen) , Elastic lad (Jimmy Olsen) , Rubber maid, and more. Invisible? Noman, **Invisible Man** , Invisible Kid, Ghost, Martian manhunter, Cloak, etc. But Dash isnt part of FF, as you noted,. and there is no Human Torch. In fact none of the Incredibles can even fly. Pixar could have picked other powers and it woulda, coulda, maybe matched with other groups. And where is Frozone? As for team of 4? Thats a meme, as this article points out- [https://www.reddit.com/r/superheroes/comments/ptwlaf/why\_do\_so\_many\_super\_hero\_groups\_of\_four\_have/](https://www.reddit.com/r/superheroes/comments/ptwlaf/why_do_so_many_super_hero_groups_of_four_have/) Close but no cigar. ---
**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 5, 2025, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/57 "2025-02-05T02:11:37Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > But Dash isnt part of FF, as you noted,. and there is no Human Torch The baby can “flame on!” ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/58 "2025-02-05T02:12:37Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > The baby can “flame on!” And _everything else_. But not part of the team- at least in the first two films. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/59 "2025-02-05T12:31:31Z")
In one story Dr Doom entered a parallel universe that was an utter utopia all created by his alternate self. He asked the alternate how he was able to accomplish such feats. The alternate says he found it in his heart to forgive Reed Richards. Letting go of the hate and anger freed his mind to create the Utopia Prime Doom sees. Prime Doom mulls this over and completely obliterates the Utopia universe. That’s Doctor Doom. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874/60 "2025-02-05T13:31:11Z")
As a casual fan of hero movies, I agree that this trailer was nothing to get my interest all perked up. Maybe they’ll put together another one that’s more compelling but I didn’t see anything particularly clever, mysterious, funny, charming, awesome, etc to be “Wow, I want to see this”. It seemed to share the tone of other recent MCU films that were perhaps mildly successful but made the genre feel played out. As a casual watcher of The Incredibles, the most memorable stuff was the trope-breaking silliness like “No capes” and “If everyone is super…”. I barely remember the family dynamics at all aside from the island rescue stuff at the end. It was a good film and worth watching but I wouldn’t use it to set the bar of “We already have a good F4 film…” Also agree that it being animated removes a large part of the burden of making a live action film with effects that looks cool and exciting instead of immersion-breaking. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-pre-release-discussion/1013874.md?page=4)