Fantastic Four trailer leaves one huge unanswered question

Chris Tilly
The Fantastic Four standing in front of a giant 4.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer has dropped, giving fans a look at the latest big-screen iteration of The Thing, plus a glimpse at Galactus, but the teaser also leaves one big question unanswered.

There have been four Fantastic Four movies thus far: Roger Corman’s unreleased Fantastic Four from the 1990s, Tim Story’s 2005 Fantastic Four and 2007 sequel Rise of the Silver Surfer, and Josh Trank’s dark 2015 Fantastic Four.

Characters have since cameoed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, via John Krasinski’s Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Chris Evans’ Johnny Storm in Deadpool & Wolverine.

But in 2025 Marvel’s First Family is getting a standalone MCU movie, with Matt Shakman directing The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and the cast consisting of Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm. Thanks to their debut trailer, fans just got a first look at the awesome foursome in action.

John Malkovich glimpsed in Fantastic Four trailer

The trailer gives us a glimpse at The Thing, Invisible Woman, and Human Torch in action, and there’s even a look at Galactus, from behind, towering over the Statue of Liberty.

But the First Steps trailer also features a shot of John Malkovich’s character, without any indication of who he is or how he fits into the story.

But he has long, grey hair, so there’s a chance it’s Ivan Kragoff, aka Red Ghost, a Marvel villain who has previously done battle with the Fantastic Four alongside his Super-Apes.

Elsewhere in the trailer, we visit the Baxter Building, meet H.E.R.B.I.E., and see the Fantasticar cruising through the streets. Though no stretchy Mister Fantastic footage.

In terms of dialogue, Reed tells Sue: “Before we went up the first time, you couldn’t turn invisible, Ben wasn’t a rock, and Johnny never could fire.”

Storm responds to this by setting out their familial credentials, saying: “Ben has always been a rock. Johnny is… Johnny. And I’m right here. Whatever life throws at us, we’ll face it together, as a family.”

For more comic book action, here’s every Marvel show ranked from worst to best, plus our list of the best superhero movies ever.

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