Summary
The Fantastic Four: First Stepsis set to introduce the Marvel Cinematic Universe to Marvel’s First Family in spectacular retro fashion, and now fans have gotten a much better look at one special extra that’s sure to be along for the ride when the superteam make their theatrical return to kick off the franchise’s sixth phase.
TheFantastic Fourwould undoubtedly be the center of the MCU if the film rights to the Marvel Universe’s first family had been within the purview of Kevin Feige when Marvel Studios started up, but the superteam would remain outside the franchise’s grasp until Disney’s acquisition of Fox Studios in 2019. The team’s now-named MCU debut,The Fantastic Four: First Steps,would be announced soon after, and more details and speculation would follow the subsequent flurry of casting and pre-production, including exciting rumors thatRobert Downey Jr. will make his MCU debut as Doctor Doom in the movie.
Fans recently got a huge reveal whenThe Fantastic Four: First Steps’director revealed that the Fantastic Four are their world’s only heroes, meaning they’ll need all the help they can get fighting the good fight. One helping hand that’s guaranteed to make an appearance is HERBIE (Humanoid Experimental Robot, B-type, Integrated Electronics), a robotic helper created by Mr. Fantastic, and now fans have a pretty solid idea of what the character will look like in the upcoming film. As noted byThe Direct, one of the Marvel murals at the recent New York Comic-Con event featured a pretty solid look at the character among a plethora of others adorned around the Marvel Logo. The design, which might not be entirely reflective of the final version of the character, fits the retro aesthetic of the upcoming film perfectly, blending the more vintage ideal of a robot with a practical look, especially in the ‘face’.
While the character was initially shown in the heavily stylizedFantastic Fourcast reveal illustration released around the same time as theDeadpool 3trailer, this mural marks the first look at the character in a more practical form that fans could actually see in live-action. Additionally, some easily noticeably changes have been made since the original reveal, including a completely redesigned torso that now features the team’s logo and some major changes to the character’s base and traversal parts. The new design seems to refine the design a bit more, making it a bit less retro and a bit more like it was designed by the world’s greatest and most forward-thinking mind. It’s unclear if fans will get to see Pedro Pascal’s Mr. Fantastic build or modify HERBIE’s design over the course of the film, so it’s not a given that only one design will make it to the MCU.
The MCU has gone on for a long time, with most of its projects sharing similar looks and feels, so everyone can agree thatthe retro aesthetic ofTheFantastic Fourmovie will be a breath of fresh air. While HERBIE could certainly go a long way to really enhance that vibe, the assistant could also potentially have more significance in the story thatFirst Stepswill be trying to tell. For now, fans can only really speculate and wait to get more details about just exactly what the film’s plot has in store for the Fantastic Four, their antagonists, and HERBIE.
The Fantastic Four: First Stepsis currently set for theatrical release on Jul 05, 2025.
