The Fantastic Four: First Steps gains the highest Rotten Tomatoes score out of all The Fantastic Four films to date, details explored

The Fantastic Four: First Steps receives a fresh RT score (Image via YouTube/Marvel Entertainment)
The Fantastic Four: First Steps receives a fresh RT score (Image via YouTube/Marvel Entertainment)

The Fantastic Four: First Steps shows Pedro Pascal taking the mantle of Marvel's First Family as the new and blue Mister Fantastic. It's the first time we get to see him or his family in the MCU's current timeline.

The film kicks off Phase Six of the MCU as it gets released on July 25. Before that, we got a peek into the early reviews. It looks like the MCU film has met the critics' expectations. The review embargo has been lifted, and based on the early 95 reviews, the film has earned a whopping 87% Rotten Tomatoes score. That is a significant improvement for the studio struggling to get the film critics on board with their comic book adaptations.

With this project, a Fantastic Four film has finally received a positive consensus on the aggregator. Before this, we met the quartet in Josh Trank's 2015 film, which earned a sorely disappointing 9% score. Even the two films from Tim Story, from 2005 and 2007, received rotten scores. While the 2005 film received a 27% score, the latter received a marginally higher 37% score.

Considering the early 87% score, the fourth time seems to be the charm for Marvel's first family. The score might change in the coming days once more reviews appear on the platform. However, the early reviews show promising signs for Marvel on its way to bouncing back from its rough patch. After Thunderbolts*, it's the second MCU film to receive praise from the critics.


What are critics saying about The Fantastic Four: First Steps?

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The Fantastic Four: First Steps hasn't received unanimous praise. Some reviews are critical of the film, while others call it only an improvement from the studio's recent projects. However, many are praising the performances by the new cast of Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, and, of course, Pedro Pascal. They are joined by Ralph Ineson as Galactus and Julia Garner as the female Silver Surfer, Shalla-Bal.

Some reviews are also praising director Matt Shakman's work, who brings a retro-futuristic world to life.

William Bibbiani from TheWrap says,

"Matt Shakman has done something Marvel Studios doesn’t do very well anymore. He’s made a superhero movie that embraces the 'super' part. And the 'hero' part. And the 'movie' part."

Maureen Lee Lenker from Entertainment Weekly adds,

"Via this 1960s-coded setting, Shakman leans into the comic book kitschiness inherent to the material, embracing it with gonzo gusto, as opposed to trying to achieve any degree of gritty realism."

Liz Shannon Miller from Consequence appreciates The Fantastic Four: First Steps as a thrilling comic book adventure. She says,

"A solid comic book adventure that's not embarrassed by being a comic book adventure — in fact, it finds real power in its love for its roots. Hopefully, that's an energy the MCU can carry forward with it."

David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter praises the script as it focuses on characters more than the spectacle. He says,

"Rather than allowing the action to define the story, the filmmakers let the poignant character-based scenes do the heavy lifting. That should not imply any lack of excitement."

Fans can catch The Fantastic Four: First Steps in theaters from July 25, 2025.


Also read: Will there be a sequel to The Fantastic Four: First Steps? Here’s what we know so far

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Edited by Debanjana