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Pedro Pascal talks about the highly-anticipated The Fantastic Four
Scheduled for release on July 23rd, 2025, the new adaptation of the iconic comic book The Fantastic Four is bound to be one of major blockbusters of the summer. Actor Pedro Pascal and the film cast were in Paris to present the film, and Numéro attended the press conference held at the breathtaking Espace Niemeyer.
By Violaine Schütz,
and Erwann Chevalier.
After three opuses released in 2005, 2007, and 2015, The Fantastic Four will make a big comeback to the silver screen on July 23rd, 2025. As a reminder, in 2005, audiences were introduced to four scientific and astronaut friends, who were exposed to dangerous rays during a space expedition. Shaken by this aborted mission, they returned home endowed with new superpowers.
Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby as lead characters in the new Fantastic Four
Put on hold for several months due to the 2023 strike by SAG-AFTRA (the American actors’ union), this adaptation of the cult comic book is among the year’s most eagerly-awaited films. Produced by Marvel and directed by Matt Shakman (WandaVision), it is likely to be one of the summer’s biggest blockbusters.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps immediately captivates us with its cast. The film features endearing actors, who stand out in the Marvel universe. Among them are the charismatic Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn as the famous protagonists in The Fantastic Four.
Julia Garner and Joseph Quinn join the Marvel cast
Hollywood’s latest darling Pedro Pascal, star of The Last of Us, plays the team’s leader, Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic. Vanessa Kirby, recently seen in Napoleon, will portray his partner Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman. Rising actor Joseph Quinn, known for his role in Stranger Things season 4, will play Johnny Storm, a.k.a. the Human Torch, while Ebon Moss-Bachrach, seen in The Bear, will take on the role of Ben Grimm, aka the Thing.
The cast also includes Julia Garner (Ozark) as the Silver Surfer, John Malkovich, Ralph Ineson, and Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll). After the first two instalments, which starred the same actors – Jessica Alba, Chris Evans – this new lineup is set to shine.
“We are the first weirdos in the Marvel universe.” Pedro Pascal
During a press conference held at the futuristic Espace Niemeyer in Paris on July 7th, 2025, Pedro Pascal explained what sets these new superheroes apart. “Just look at us! (laughs) What makes us different is perhaps that we’re the first Marvel family. And it’s a chosen family. There’s my wife, my best friend, and my brother-in-law, and we’re all going through a transformation together. Our lives change as we discover our superpowers. That’s what brings us together, along with our curiosity as explorers. And we’re the first weirdos in the Marvel universe.”
This retro-futuristic film inspired by New York in the 1960s, follows a family trying to find a balance between their roles as superheroes and their everyday lives. All the while defending Earth against a cosmic god called Galactus and his messenger, the Silver Surfer.
Pedro Pascal reflected on his role as the head of the family: “He’s pretty innocent, even though he’s a very smart man. That’s something I have a hard time relating to (laughs). He’s aware of all the threats in the universe, yet he remains emotionally naive. Domestic and intimate conflicts are new to him and more difficult to deal with than asteroids colliding with our planet.”
A united family in a retro-futuristic world
Although the iconic blue suits perfectly suit the actors in the film’s first glimpses, stepping into The Fantastic Four universe was a real challenge for the cast. “We all felt the pressure. This new film aims to stay very faithful to the original Fantastic Four comics, especially in terms of the imaginary worlds and the vision of the authors. We were all nervous, excited, and aligned with the vision of the creative director and producer. We wanted to bring up nostalgia (that of the 1960s) and elevate it through a shared family experience.”
In that mission, the cast received the help of the set designs inspired by architect Oscar Niemeyer. As Pedro Pascal shared during the press conference: “Most of the sets weren’t digitally created. And it’s one of the most beautiful sets I’ve ever seen. The visual aesthetic was a grounding point for all of us. It enriched both the storytelling and our characters.”
Expectations are high for this new cinematic adventure. And it seems to hold many of surprises. For instance, we will learn that Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) is pregnant while facing an alien threat alongside her family. A way to modernize superhero films and prove, once and for all, that women can do several things at once… superheroes or not.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), directed by Matt Shakman, coming out on July 23rd, 2025.
