The Fantastic Four: First Steps has kicked off Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with an impressive $118 million domestic box office haul from its opening weekend. That’s the fourth biggest domestic opening of 2025, behind A Minecraft Movie ($162 million), Lilo & Stitch ($146 million), and Superman ($125 million).

While there have been tributes to Jack Kirby over the years, with everything from the Thor: Ragnarok logo being in honor of him or Ant-Man featuring a cool reference to him, The Fantastic Four: First Steps took things to the next level when celebrating the late Marvel artist.

We're 37 films deep into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. How does "Fantastic Four: First Steps" rank against "Ant-Man" or "Avengers: Endgame"?

First Steps continue tradition and include post-credit scene that hint at the future of the MCU? Find out all about it here.

The stakes of the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe installment, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, involve the familial superteam figuring out how to save the Earth by defeating the godlike adversary Galactus (now available in non-cloud form) — an expected development for a superhero movie.

Ryan Meinerding is having a full-circle moment. When he was in high school, one of his favorite characters was The Thing - so he sketched him. That artwork is featured in “Marvel Studios: The Art of Ryan Meinerding.

In addition to setting up Galactus and the Silver Surfer, Fantastic Four: First Steps finds time to tease another major villain.

While cinema-goers have responded enthusiastically to many films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the history of the Fantastic Four is less heralded.

“Fantastic Four” has a “distinct retro-futuristic aesthetic and family-focused themes,” according to Rotten Tomatoes. With a “certified fresh” critics score of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, reactions to “Fantastic Four” seem largely positive — even if they sometimes come with qualifications.