Questions

What is the plot?

The film opens on Earth-828 in 1964, where the world is celebrating the fourth anniversary of the Fantastic Four—Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Ben Grimm, and Johnny Storm—who gained superpowers from cosmic rays during a space mission. The team has become famous for fighting villains and advancing technology, with Reed’s inventions and Sue’s diplomatic efforts through the Future Foundation promoting global peace. Reed and Sue reveal they are expecting a child, sparking worldwide anticipation and speculation about whether the baby will inherit superpowers.

Months later, the Silver Surfer arrives on Earth, announcing that the planet has been marked for destruction by Galactus, a cosmic entity that devours planets to satisfy an eternal hunger. Reed investigates the disappearance of other planets and confirms the threat. The Fantastic Four decide to confront Galactus in space, tracking the Silver Surfer’s energy signature. Using faster-than-light travel, they reach a planet just as Galactus’s ship destroys it. The team is captured and brought aboard Galactus’s vessel.

Galactus explains his insatiable hunger and reveals that Reed and Sue’s unborn child possesses immense cosmic power capable of absorbing his hunger, potentially freeing him from it. He offers to spare Earth if they surrender the child. Galactus induces Sue into labor to pressure them. The Fantastic Four refuse the offer and manage to escape the ship. They use the gravity of a neutron star to disable their faster-than-light system, which also delays the pursuing Silver Surfer, allowing them to return to Earth. During the journey back, Sue gives birth to a boy named Franklin.

The film’s mid-credits scene, set four years later, shows Sue reading to Franklin at home. She leaves to get another book and returns to find Franklin interacting with a mysterious man in a green cloak holding a metal mask.

Throughout the film, the Fantastic Four balance their roles as heroes with their family bond while facing the overwhelming threat of Galactus and his Herald, the Silver Surfer. The story emphasizes their struggle to protect Earth and their child from a cosmic force beyond their usual adversaries.

What is the ending?

⚠ Spoiler – click to reveal

The ending of The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) shows the team luring Galactus into a trap in Times Square using their baby Franklin as bait. After a fierce battle, Sue Storm pushes Galactus through a portal but dies from the effort. Reed Richards tries to revive her, but it is Franklin who uses his cosmic powers to bring Sue back to life. Earth is saved, and the film ends with a hopeful note about the family's future and Franklin's immense power.

In the final sequence, the Fantastic Four prepare a global effort to trap Galactus, the planet-devouring cosmic entity, in Times Square. They use Franklin Richards, the infant son of Reed and Sue, as bait to lure Galactus near a portal Reed has created. The plan is for Galactus to be sucked through this wormhole to another part of the universe, sparing Earth from destruction.

As Galactus approaches the portal, he realizes the team has moved Franklin, disrupting the plan. A battle ensues between the Fantastic Four and Galactus. Despite their efforts, they cannot stop him outright. At the critical moment, the Silver Surfer, who had been working with Galactus to protect her own planet, intervenes and helps Sue Storm push Galactus into the portal.

Sue uses the full extent of her powers to force Galactus through the wormhole, but the exertion is fatal. She collapses, appearing dead. Reed Richards attempts to revive her but fails. Franklin, crying and reaching out to his mother, is placed on Sue’s chest. Suddenly, Franklin’s hands glow with cosmic energy, and he revives Sue, who begins to breathe again. Sue later tells Reed that Franklin’s powers are far greater than theirs, hinting at his cosmic potential.

The fate of the main characters at the end is as follows:

  • Sue Storm: Dies momentarily after pushing Galactus through the portal but is revived by Franklin’s powers.
  • Reed Richards: Survives and continues to lead the team, mourning Sue briefly before her revival.
  • Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm: Participate in the battle and survive.
  • Franklin Richards: Revealed as a powerful cosmic being capable of reviving his mother and potentially more.

The film closes with a mid-credits scene set four years later, showing Sue reading to Franklin in the Baxter Building. A mysterious hooded figure, later revealed to be Doctor Doom, approaches Franklin, holding a Doom-shaped mask, setting up future conflicts.

This ending unfolds scene by scene:

  1. The team coordinates a worldwide effort to build a trap for Galactus, culminating in Times Square.
  2. Reed’s teleportation plan to move Earth fails due to sabotage, leaving the portal in Times Square as the last hope.
  3. Johnny confronts Shalla-Bal, the Silver Surfer, playing messages from destroyed planets to sway her, but she flees.
  4. The Fantastic Four lure Galactus using Franklin as bait.
  5. The battle with Galactus ensues; the team struggles to contain him.
  6. Sue uses her powers to push Galactus into the portal, sacrificing herself.
  7. Reed tries to revive Sue but fails.
  8. Franklin’s cosmic powers revive Sue, restoring her to life.
  9. The team is safe, but the threat of future challenges looms.
  10. The mid-credits scene introduces Doctor Doom’s presence in Franklin’s life.

This detailed ending highlights the themes of family, sacrifice, and the emergence of new cosmic powers within the Fantastic Four universe.

Is there a post-credit scene?

⚠ Spoiler – click to reveal

Yes, The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) has both a mid-credits and a post-credits scene.

The post-credits scene takes place four years after the main events of the film, showing the Fantastic Four still living in the Baxter Building. Sue Storm is reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar to her young son Franklin. After declining a suggestion from the robot assistant H.E.R.B.I.E. to read a Charles Darwin book, Sue turns with another book in hand. At that moment, a cloaked figure enters the room holding Doctor Doom's iconic silver mask, while Franklin looks on with curiosity. The figure is implied to be Doctor Doom, portrayed by Robert Downey Jr., setting up his role in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday (2026).

The mid-credits scene similarly introduces Doctor Doom as a major future threat, reinforcing the connection to the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

What role does Franklin Richards play in the conflict with Galactus in The Fantastic Four: First Steps?

Franklin Richards, the son of Reed Richards and Sue Storm, is revealed to possess immense cosmic power that Galactus desires to absorb in order to cure his endless hunger. Galactus offers to spare Earth if he can have Franklin, but the Fantastic Four refuse, leading to a high-stakes standoff and the need to protect Franklin at all costs.

How does the Fantastic Four attempt to protect Earth from Galactus in the movie?

Reed Richards devises a desperate plan to transport the entire Earth to another dimension to buy billions of years’ time and avoid Galactus's destruction. The team also flees Galactus and returns to Earth to warn humanity, revealing the threat publicly.

What is the significance of the Silver Surfer in the story?

The Silver Surfer arrives on Earth as the Herald of Galactus, warning the Fantastic Four of the impending danger. Later, Johnny Storm communicates with the Silver Surfer in her native language, awakening her memories and emotions, which influences the conflict.

How is the Fantastic Four's family dynamic portrayed during the crisis?

The movie emphasizes the strength of the Fantastic Four's family bond as they balance their roles as heroes with protecting their child Franklin. Their unity is central to their efforts to defend Earth and resist Galactus's demands.

Are there any notable mid-credits or post-credits scenes related to characters or plot development?

Yes, a mid-credits scene set four years later shows Sue reading to Franklin at home, who is interacting with a man in a green cloak holding a metal mask, hinting at future storylines and possibly the introduction of new characters.

Is this family friendly?

The movie The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) is rated PG-13, indicating it is generally suitable for teens and older children but may contain material parents might find inappropriate for younger children. It is family-friendly in the sense that it is a superhero adventure with visually impressive effects and a straightforward story, but it does include some elements that could be potentially objectionable or upsetting for sensitive viewers or young children.

Potentially upsetting or objectionable aspects include:

  • Intense action sequences and interstellar battles that may be intense or frightening for very young children.
  • Some scenes involving cosmic radiation and transformation that might be unsettling for sensitive viewers.
  • Moments of tension and mild peril, including the presence of a villain (Galactus), though the villain is described as less threatening than expected.
  • Emotional moments that involve worry or fear, but nothing described as graphic or excessively violent.

No explicit or graphic content, strong language, or mature themes are noted in the reviews, but the PG-13 rating suggests some scenes may be too intense for very young or sensitive children. Overall, it is a visually rich superhero film with moderate action and mild peril, suitable for families with older children or teens.

Who dies?

⚠ Spoiler – click to reveal

In The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), several characters face significant challenges, and some meet their demise. Here's a detailed account of the circumstances surrounding these events:

  1. Galactus: The movie features Galactus, a powerful cosmic entity known as the Devourer of Worlds. He is defeated by the Fantastic Four, but the specifics of his "death" are not fully clarified, leaving room for speculation about his ultimate fate.

  2. Inhabitants of a Distant Planet: Early in the film, the Fantastic Four witness Galactus consuming an entire planet. This event results in the death of all life forms on that planet, though the types of creatures are not specified.

  3. Sue Storm: Sue appears to die during the confrontation with Galactus. However, she is later revived by her son Franklin Richards, who possesses incredible powers. This scene is pivotal as it showcases Franklin's abilities and emotional vulnerability.

These events are central to the plot of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, setting the stage for future developments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.