Several elements of The Fantastic Four's cast getting a lot of attention, but so too are the retrofuturistic elements of the film's design and Michael Giacchino's musical score.
The 2025 Marvel movie is anything to go by, it seems as though the studio will be doing exactly this. Although the reveals of the marketing are garnering hype and excitement, the elements that Marvel did not reveal about The Fantastic Four: First Steps are just as exciting. From certain characters remaining hidden to voice work and other aspects, The Fantastic Four: First Steps still has surprises aplenty.
8 Mister Fantastic's Powers
The Stretchy Abilities Of The Team's Patriarch Remain Undisclosed
Perhaps one of the more unsurprising things hidden from the trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps was Mister Fantastic's powers. This is unsurprising due to the nature of those abilities. As many will well know, Mister Fantastic has the ability to stretch his body, yet big-budget Hollywood productions have often had trouble making this look convincing with CGI or practical effects. This is likely why Reed Richards' powers were left out of the trailer for the movie, as this will give the post-production team of The Fantastic Four: First Steps more time to perfect the visual effects.
Midway through the trailer, Reed is heard talking about the various powers the team has received since going up into space. The origin of the Fantastic Four's powers will likely be shown in the movie, with this story resulting in Sue Storm's invisibility, Johnny Storm's fire abilities, and Ben Grimm becoming the rock man known as The Thing. As Reed is recalling these abilities, glimpses at each power set are shown. With Mister Fantastic's being missing, audiences will have to wait for another trailer to see the stretching in action.
7 Silver Surfer
The Herald Of Galactus Is Yet To Be Revealed
One of the more exciting elements of the Fantastic Four trailer was Galactus' reveal, but his herald was left out. In the comics - and most other adaptations of the villain - Galactus sends his herald, the Silver Surfer, to alert planets to the former's arrival. The Silver Surfer is expected to appear in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, played by Julia Garner as the female version of the character known as Shalla-Bal.
Despite the confirmation of the character's appearance, the Silver Surfer was absent from the film's trailer. The reason for this is likely the trailer's nature as a teaser, with even Galactus only being shown in brief glimpses. This means that audiences can expect the Silver Surfer to be teased in future trailers unless Marvel Studios opts to save Shalla-Bal's debut for the movie itself. With the Silver Surfer being such a big part of the Fantastic Four's many stories, especially where Galactus is concerned, she will likely be shown in marketing before the film's July 2025 release date.
6 Natasha Lyonne
A Strong Actor With A Marvel Past Was Not Shown
An actor who has previously been confirmed to appear in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Natasha Lyonne, was also not shown in the trailer for the film. Lyonne's casting in the MCU project was confirmed in May 2024, with many since speculating on who she could be playing. Lyonne has a strong history of Hollywood credits in complex roles, from her appearance in Russian Doll to Orange Is the New Black, meaning her announcement as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was incredibly exciting for many.
Regardless of this excitement, Lyonne was not shown in the trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. This could simply be because her role in the movie is not as major as others, or it could be due to her Marvel history. Lyonne voiced an important character named Byrdie in What If...? season 3, leading many to wonder whether Lyonne would reprise this role in the Marvel movie. While Byrdie ittedly may not blend well with the world of the titular team, it remains to be seen exactly how Lyonne will fit into the story after The Fantastic Four: First Steps' teaser trailer.
5 HERBIE's Voice
The Robot Was Mute In The Trailer
A longtime ally of The Fantastic Four has been HERBIE, a robot created by Reed Richards for interdimensional exploration. HERBIE was shown in the trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, cooking up a meal for the team as The Thing gave the robot a tip about adding garlic. The design was perfect for HERBIE and perfectly fits the retrofuturistic aesthetic of the film.
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That said, HERBIE did not speak at all in the trailer. This means that audiences will likely have to wait for another trailer or even the film itself before hearing exactly what HERBIE will sound like. With that in mind, the unheard voice of HERBIE could link to more missing elements from The Fantastic Four: First Steps' trailer.
4 The Fantastic Four: First Steps' ing Cast
Two Confirmed Actors Were Not Part Of The Marketing
Besides Lyonne, two other actors were not found in the trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. One of these actors is Paul Walter Ha, who many have assumed will be providing the voice for HERBIE. While this is still only speculation and Ha's role is undisclosed, the theory could explain why both elements were missing from the trailer.
Another actor confirmed to be part of the project during production is Sarah Niles. Niles was also not shown at any point in the trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, leading to more theories about who she could be playing. As more is revealed about the film in the run-up to release, more information about the trailer's missing cast should be expected.
3 The Identity Of John Malkovich's Character
A Mysterious Character Indeed
One of the few of The Fantastic Four: First Steps' ing cast that was included in the trailer is John Malkovich. Towards the end of the trailer, Malkovich's character is shown shrouded in shadows with long white hair and a big beard. Other than this, nothing else about Malkovich's character in The Fantastic Four: First Steps was shown in the trailer.
This includes the identity of the character, which has become a big source of theorization. The Marvel Comics villain, Mole Man, is expected to appear in the film, leading many to wonder if Malkovich will be playing this role. Beyond that, there is no evidence to suggest who Malkovich is playing, and the trailer seemed to intentionally keep that information close to the chest.
2 Ralph Ineson's Galactus Voice
The World-Eater Is Yet To Be Heard
The ending of the trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps showcased Galactus in all his glory. In previous adaptations, Galactus' design has been disappointing, with 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer showcasing the character as a giant cosmic cloud as opposed to the humanoid being that devours the life energy of planets. As evidenced in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, this mistake is being avoided with Galactus sporting an incredibly comic book-accurate design.
Although the design is exciting in and of itself, many were hoping to hear what Galactus sounded like. The actor chosen to voice Galactus is Ralph Ineson, who has an overly commanding sound. Nonetheless, Galactus' voice was hidden from the Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer. Only one real glimpse of the back of Galactus' head was shown, meaning Ineson's voice will likely be included in a second trailer for the film in the coming months.
1 Victor von Doom
The Arch Nemesis Of The Fantastic Four Was Expectedly Hidden
Finally, the last major element missing from The Fantastic Four: First Steps' trailer was Victor von Doom, otherwise known as Doctor Doom. Doom has long been the primary antagonist of the team in Marvel's history, with the future of the MCU expected to delve deep into this relationship via the story of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. The cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps was confirmed to appear in the two Doom-centric Avengers movies, leading many to assume the character - played by Robert Downey Jr. - would appear in the 2025 film first.
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As expected, though, Doom was not highlighted in the trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. This certainly makes a lot of sense, not only given the fact that Galactus is the film's main villain but also the intense anticipation for audiences to see RDJ as Doom for the first time. Including a reveal as big as this in a first trailer does not make sense, and will ittedly likely be left for the final film, perhaps even in a post-credit scene. Likelihood aside, Doom is worth pointing out as an aspect missing from the trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
- July 25, 2025
- Director
- Matt Shakman
- Writers
- Jeff Kaplan, Josh Friedman, Ian Springer, Eric Pearson, Stan Lee
- Producers
- Jamie Christopher, Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Tim Lewis
- Franchise(s)
- Marvel Cinematic Universe
Cast
Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic
Vanessa KirbySue Storm / The Invisible Woman
Johnny Storm / Human Torch
Ebon Moss-BachrachBen Grimm / The Thing
