The Fantastic 4: First Steps title just received a new, darker meaning from the MCU. The latest trailer provided fans with the best view of the movie, from Galactus to the family’s dynamic. In addition, the trailer hinted at The Thing’s iconic catchphrase and other things. In Fox’s version of the characters, Galactus was once displayed as a cloud in 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. That decision was met with heavy backlash from fans, and the MCU is taking a comic-book accurate approach to the villain.
Fantastic 4 Title Teases Darker Meaning of Movie
One of the most significant elements of the trailer was the presence of the Silver Surfer and Galactus. After all, the characters serve as the most mysterious roles in the storyline. It’s clear that Galactus will have his eyes on Earth, and the family will work together to stop him. However, the intimate details of how that will unfold still remain to be seen until the film is released.
Interestingly, the trailer may have given the Fantastic 4 title a new meaning, albeit maybe a darker one for the movie. In addition, Marvel is reportedly planning a sequel to the film, possibly for 2028. The latest trailer teases specific instances of Galactus’ story and his link to Reed Richards and the rest of the family. The next big bad for the MCU, Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.), was notably absent from the period piece’s latest trailer.
First, it is essential to acknowledge the obvious fact that the film marks the family’s debut in the MCU. There was a cameo from a Reed Richards variant (John Krasinski) in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. However, this upcoming Fantastic Four movie marks the team’s “first steps” into the MCU franchise. The second trailer revealed that Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) will be pregnant with son Franklin Richards.
She will eventually give birth to the baby, who eventually grows up to be a powerful character in Marvel Comics. Additionally, Franklin’s “first steps” play a pivotal role in the film’s title and narrative. With the latest and final trailer of Fantastic 4: First Steps, there seems to have been another, more literal meaning for the movie. The footage shows the family going into space to find Galactus for the first time.
The scene sets up the spectacle of the film, teasing a new meaning to the title. In the shot, Reed is stepping into Galactus’ ship. The shot is a lot similar to people stepping onto the moon for the first time in films, testifying to the iconic words of, “One small step for a man.” Reed leaves his footprint on the ground, with the 4 logo, behind him in the dust. It is Reed’s literal “first steps” onto Galactus’ ship.
The ship is a huge puzzle piece because it looks like the one from the comics. In the ship, Galactucs is in an incubated state. It is likely that in that scene, the family finds the villain in that state before he comes to Earth. It is safe to assume that this awakens Galactus, leading the Silver Surfer to Earth, saying, “I herald his beginning.” In an earlier trailer, Reed says to Sue, “It’s my fault. I stretched the bounds of space, and they heard.” That statement could be linked to the scene, and Reed could be referring to the two main antagonists in Fantastic 4: First Steps.
Final Thoughts
The family waking up, Galactus, if it happens in that scene, clearly sets him up to arrive on Earth. In the trailers shown, Galactus is either coming to Earth or looming over the planet. The Fantastic 4’s first steps on the ship may cause the villain to take his first steps on Earth, putting the family’s world in jeopardy. The single shot connects the characters together, raising the stakes for the film.
The next big bad of the MCU hasn’t made an appearance in any of the trailers. Director Matt Shakman stated that Doom will not be in the film, and it may indeed be true. However, he could be playing coy to keep fans surprised, as there have been leaks online stating that Doom is a post-credits scene.
