The Fantastic Four: First Steps – who are the characters Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Vanessa Kirby, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach play?

You wouldn’t be wrong in thinking there have been a few movies out there about superhero family the Fantastic Four, but, along with the rest of Hollywood, they’re getting a reboot.

Marvel are reintroducing its iconic quartet in this rebirth of sorts as it kicks off Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and we’re here to remind you who is who ahead of The Fantastic Four: First Steps release on July 25th. So let’s get started with the rollcall…

Mister Fantastic

Portrayed by Pedro Pascal, this probably isn’t the first time he’s been referred to as Mister Fantastic – even before Marvel cast him. And it’s certainly not the first time he’s been called Daddy either. Leader of the pack, Mister Fantastic AKA Reed Richards is super stretchy and super smart. He’s a scientist and the leader of the pack in this family dynamic.

Invisible Woman

Mama bear of the group, Vanessa Kirby stars as Invisible Woman, otherwise known as Sue Storm. She’s married to Reed (Pascal’s character) and, in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, she’s pregnant. Of course, she is also equipped with her own set of fun superpowers. The clue is in the name, Invisible Woman is able to turn invisible and also create force fields.

Human Torch

Stranger Things star Joseph Quinn will portray Human Torch AKA Johnny Storm in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Johnny Storm is the brother of Sue Storm (Kirby’s Invisible Woman), and is able to both fly and control fire. Ironically, maybe the coolest of the four?

The Thing

Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays The Thing, otherwise known as Ben Grimm. A former astronaut, he’s best friend to Mister Fantastic and has a rocky, orange exterior that gives him super strength.

H.E.R.B.I.E.

While not officially a part of the Fantastic Four line-up, their robot companion is no less an important part of the fold. H.E.R.B.I.E. (standing for Humanoid Experimental Robot B-Type Integrated Electronics – that’s a mouthful), will be voiced by Matthew Wood. As with most attentive robots, H.E.R.B.I.E. is described as “charming and adorable”.

What is the backstory of The Fantastic Four?

While most superhero movies, including those in the MCU, delve into the backstory of how their powers came to be, The Fantastic Four: First Steps isn’t set to labour too much on that point, i.e. the trip to space that saw the group gain their abilities. That said, the film will feature some flashbacks to contextualise the characters in the parallel 1960s earth First Steps takes place on. Essentially, though, the four when on a flight to space and, when exposed to cosmic rays, were given super human abilities.

Who are the villains in The Fantastic Four: First Steps?

Again, if this isn’t your first Fantastic Four movie, the villains the gang are taking on won’t be unfamiliar to you. Galactus and the Silver Surfer will be the main antagonists in the film, with Ralph Ineson voicing the former planet-eating cosmic-being. Julia Garner will play Galactus’ sidekick, the Silver Surfer. Much like The Thing, her character was brought to life through motion capture.

Coming to Cineworld from July 25th, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is shaping up to be a real hoot between its retro vibes and excellent ensemble cast. We can't wait to see this evolution come to life on the big screen.