The Fantastic Four release date, cast, plot details: everything to know about the Marvel film

The Fantastic Four is one of Marvel's most eagerly awaited films. The iconic group has appeared in three previous movies of varying success, but they will finally debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) next year. As one of the comic giant's most cherished superhero teams, fans are excited to see them join their fellow heroes on screen.

However, the team-up will have to wait until the superteam's standalone film hits theaters. So, when is the release date? Who are the actors playing the core foursome? And what will the plot involve? Be aware that there may be potential cast and story spoilers for Marvel's Fantastic Four movie, so proceed with caution.

When will The Fantastic Four be released? 

The Fantastic Four is set to premiere in theaters worldwide on July 25, 2025. Originally scheduled for November 2024, the movie received a revised release date on February 14, which was also when the cast for the iconic quartet was announced and its new title revealed. These details emerged five years after the film was first announced in July 2019.

In late June, during episode 1 of the revived Official Marvel Podcast, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed that filming would commence on July 29.

Who is on The Fantastic Four cast?

To date, Marvel has only announced the main cast for The Fantastic Four, the legendary members of the comic titan's 'First Family': Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing.

Regarding Pascal's involvement, he reportedly entered discussions with Marvel about joining The Fantastic Four's cast in November 2023. Six days prior to the main cast announcement on February 14, a new report confirmed Pascal had signed on to play Richards, lessening the element of surprise. The only unexpected reveal was Joseph Quinn's casting as Johnny Storm; the acclaimed Stranger Things actor was announced alongside his fellow stars in mid-February.

Regarding the villain, it is believed that Galactus, one of the Fantastic Four's most renowned adversaries, will be the main antagonist. Ralph Ineson from The Office UK will voice Galactus in The Fantastic Four, and he confirmed his role as the planet-devouring cosmic entity on X/Twitter after news of his involvement emerged. However, Marvel has yet to officially comment on his casting.

Reportedly, Marvel has also enlisted other A-list actors for supporting roles. According to Deadline, Paul Walter Hauser signed on for an undisclosed role in early May, followed by Poker Face and Russian Doll's Natasha Lyonne on May 16.  Additionally, John Malkovich is believed to be involved, although his role remains a mystery.

What is The Fantastic Four about?

The Fantastic Four lacks an official story synopsis at this time, but we do have some preliminary details about the upcoming Marvel Phase 5 project.

Firstly, Feige confirmed on The Official Marvel Podcast episode 1 that the movie will be a period piece, in addition to announcing its filming start date. "Yes, yes, very much so. It is a period," Feige stated.

"There were a lot of smart people who noticed that that cityscape [artwork] didn't look exactly like the New York that we know, or that existed in the 1960s in our world. Those are smart observations, I'll say."

In an article on Marvel.com, the comic giant teased some key story details about its Fantastic Four movie. The piece links to a page about the Future Foundation, a fictional organization founded by Reed Richards for the betterment of humanity, which first appeared in Marvel comics in July 2010. This page offers five downloadable comics from the group's notable history, highlighting Galactus and The Silver Surfer's involvement and suggesting the film's likely 1960s setting. 

This 1960s setting was initially hinted at in a Fantastic Four movie poster released along with the other February announcements.