Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most anticipated projects of recent years, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, is finally out, and people are absolutely loving that Marvel’s First Family finally has a good adaptation in film. The story is quite good, but the main highlight comes in the form of the characters that drive the story. Whether they’re a smaller role or the leading lady herself, the characters that make up The Fantastic Four: First Steps are incredibly memorable, and each has a very important role in the story.
For those who are big characters in the comics, they’re surprisingly comic-accurate for the most part. Each member of the main crew acts exactly as they should, and the fact that Marvel Studios and director Matt Shakman nailed it so perfectly on the head is a testament to how much they clearly care about these characters. Some, however, definitely stand out above the others. This list will rank the best characters in The Fantastic Four: First Steps based on their role in the story, personality, importance to the overall movie, and their potential for future MCU entries.
10
Rachel Rozman
Played by Natasha Lyonne
Rachel Rozman (Natasha Lyonne) is an MCU-original character featured in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and not only does she play an important role in the story, but she’s a major shout-out to one of the most important women involved in the creation of Marvel Comics back in the ’40s. While Lyonne has been seen — or rather heard — as another character in What If…?, Rachel is definitely going to be her defining Marvel role.
Acting as a love interest of sorts for Ben Grimm, Rachel brings so much to his personal character arc. What makes Rachel so interesting, though, is that she’s seemingly inspired by Roz Kirby, formerly Roz Goldstein, the wife of Fantastic Four co-creator Jack Kirby. What many people don’t know is that she did a ton of inking work for Jack’s work after marrying him, and that makes her absolutely vital to the creation of Marvel Comics and The Fantastic Four characters. She’s an unsung hero of Marvel’s founding.
9
Franklin Richards
Played by Ada Scott
Image via Marvel Studios
The newborn son of Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) and Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Franklin Richards (Ada Scott), is not only an extremely important comic book character, but also the center of the main conflict in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. When the family goes to space to find Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and negotiate with him, the world-eater tells them he will spare Earth if they hand Franklin over to him so he may become Galactus’ successor.
Franklin is one of the most powerful comic book characters of all time, and it looks like the same is going to be true in the MCU, too. To be asked to be the new successor to the legendary Galactus means that this young boy must be extremely powerful. Although the true extent of his abilities remains hidden, Franklin resurrects Sue Storm at the end of the film after she uses all of her life force to stop the villain. The fact that he could pull such a feat as a toddler hints at promising things for him in the future.
8
Mole Man (Harvey Elder)
Played by Paul Walter Hauser
Mole Man is an iconic villain from not just The Fantastic Four comics, but Marvel Comics as a whole. At the beginning of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Mole Man (Paul Walter Hauser) seems like merely a one-off character that was simply part of the opening montage. By the third act, though, it becomes clear that this memorable Marvel villain is going to be way more important.
Mole Man becomes something of a hero in the film, helping save New York rather than take it over.
When the world is mere hours away from Galactus’ arrival, the First Family goes to seek the help of Mole Man, in hopes of his letting them evacuate New York City into his underground city, Subterranea. Thankfully, due to his trust in Sue Storm, Mole Man lets them and becomes something of a hero in the film, helping save New York rather than take it over.
7
H.E.R.B.I.E.
Played by Matthew Wood
Fans of The Fantastic Four comic books know of this fan favorite already, which makes it really special for them to see H.E.R.B.I.E. (Matthew Wood) become a fan favorite of movie audiences, as well. This little robot is incredibly cute, and Marvel Studios did a wonderful job of bringing him to life through Matthew Wood’s performance and by having a practical animatronic robot to have on set with the actors.
Building a real-life animatronic helps sell H.E.R.B.I.E.’s believability. Having a character that feels tangible makes it easier for people to connect to them and find them compelling to watch and enjoy. It also helps that H.E.R.B.I.E. is a true character who plays a crucial role in the movie, acting as the team’s helper in everything, from maintaining the Baxter Building to aiding in their deep-space missions.
6
Galactus
Played by Ralph Ineson
Much like the protagonists of the film, Galactus has had a really tough time in cinema, only ever being represented as a giant cloud in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Indeed, fans have been nothing but disappointed in his representation in superhero films. Now that he is finally included and depicted pretty much exactly like how he was in the comic books in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, people are understandably very excited.
The movie does a wonderful job of getting Galactus’ motivation across, which is simply hunger. This motive has always made him less of a villain in the past and more so just a threat to Earth. In this film, though, Matt Shakman finds a great way to villainize him through the request for the Richards’ baby. Although he isn’t in the film for much, Ineson still makes the most of his time, especially through his facial expressions, which convey frustration and hunger rather than hatred or anger.
5
Silver Surfer (Shalla-Bal)
Played by Julia Garner
The Silver Surfer has always been a fan favorite and was easily the standout of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Most people know the male Silver Surfer, Norrin Radd, though, and don’t know that there’s a female iteration that was taken as inspiration for the Julia Garner adaptation in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Silver Surfer is one of the most powerful Marvel Comics characters of all time, and that is absurdly clear in the new MCU flick. The silver character was definitely strong in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, but the Shalla-Bal version in the 2025 film is far closer to the comics in power. She’s so strong that the First Family has to trap her in a wormhole to lose her during a chase scene. How could someone not like a character that badass?
4
Ben Grimm
Played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Of the entire Fantastic Four corner of the Marvel universe, the most compelling figure has always been Ben Grimm, also called “The Thing.” In The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the world treats him far better than people do in other iterations, but he still deals with the same internal struggle that he always has, and it makes for some of the most emotional moments in the movie.
Honestly, The Fantastic Four: First Steps needed more of this guy.
There’s a specific moment where he goes to approach and talk to Rachel Rozman, but seeing that she’s in a group of people, he gets insecure and decides not to. It’s genuinely heartbreaking and, honestly, The Fantastic Four: First Steps needed more of this guy and moments like this. Indeed, Ben is severely underused in the film. This iteration also really emphasizes Ben’s Jewish roots, which were never truly shown or made important in the past, despite being important to him in the books.
3
Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards)
Played by Pedro Pascal
Image via Marvel Studios
The fearless, stretchy, and genius leader of the four, Reed Richards, has always been a great and complex character. Not only are his powers awesome, but this big brain makes him so thrilling to watch, because most of the time, he doesn’t even rely on his powers to solve things; instead, Reed uses his brain first and foremost.
While he was depicted well in the 2005 film by Ioan Gruffudd, Pedro Pascal’s version is definitely the closest to the comics. He’s dedicated to science and making the world a better place, so much so that he can grow to be obsessive and even consider the more logical solutions over ethical ones. For example, he thinks of using Franklin as bait to draw Galactus in at the top of the movie’s third act. This approach makes him interesting and deeply layered, a man of science and logic in the middle of a warm and close-knit family unit.
2
The Human Torch (Johnny Storm)
Played by Joseph Quinn
When it was initially announced, many doubted Joseph Quinn‘s casting as Johnny Storm, the Human Torch. Coming from Stranger Things fame, a large number of people were skeptical, saying that Quinn wasn’t “attractive enough” or didn’t “have the vibe of Johnny.” Now that The Fantastic Four: First Steps is released, though, Quinn totally proved them all wrong.
Some people were upset when trailers released that he’s not a total “womanizer,” but Quinn’s iteration of the character fits The Fantastic Four: First Steps far better, as he is more family-oriented. Shakman did a great job in his directing to make sure Johnny still kept all of his iconic traits, like his cockiness and ego. Quinn portrays these qualities perfectly, making Johnny much more caring without ever betraying the character’s iconic essence.
1
The Invisible Woman (Sue Storm)
Played by Vanessa Kirby
While generally a Fantastic Four film, at the end of the day, First Steps is Sue Storm’s movie. She lies at the core of both the main conflict and the themes of the story. Not to mention, she has some of the greatest moments in the movie. Sue pulls off one of the greatest feats in the MCU when she uses her powers to their full extent and pushes the titanous Galactus for blocks down the streets of New York City. Considering Galactus is a near-primal cosmic being, the feat is nothing short of extraordinary.
Vanessa Kirby plays the character with the perfect balance of strength and warmth. Sue is not only extremely powerful but wonderfully compelling, and the perfect character to lead a story like this. The Oscar-nominated Kirby brings an incredibly strong performance that paves the path for the film to rip through, and her screen presence is unlike any other. It’s clear already that people want more Sue Storm in the future of the MCU.
