Fantastic Four 2025 Earns Historic Franchise Rotten Tomatoes Score

The MCU's Fantastic Four debut is going where no other F4 movie has gone in more ways than one.

By Klein Felt Posted:
Fantastic Four First Steps cast, Rotten Tomatoes logo

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Rotten Tomatoes score is here, and the film is already breaking franchise records with the new mark. The latest movie from WandaVision director Matt Shakman has a tall task ahead. It must not only introduce fans to the world and characters of this alternate Earth where Marvel's First Family is well established, but it also has to tie into the greater MCU in a satisfying way. According to our review of the film by Jeff Ewing, the movie accomplishes that in spades, but that did not necessarily mean critics were going to agree across the board. 

Luckily, in early goings, the Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn-led Marvel epic seems to be faring well amongst critics. It earned a stellar initial score on Rotten Tomatoes and broke new ground for the Fantastic Four movie franchise overall. This is a big deal for the blockbuster, as the arrival of the iconic comic book team is set to spring into motion Marvel Studios' next era of storytelling within its interconnected on-screen universe. 

Fantastic Four: First Steps debuted on Rotten Tomatoes to a glowing 88% critics' score, marking the first time a Fantastic Four film has been "Certified Fresh" on the platform. 

To achieve a"Certified Fresh" rating, a film must meet two criteria. First, it has to have a Critics' Score of 75% or above and have been reviewed by at least 80 Tomatometer critics (including 5 Top Critics), a mark First Steps already hit just hours after the first score went live. 

Since the initial wave of reviews went live, the movie's score has slipped to a still-incredible 87% (as of writing) and is expected to stay in the mid-to-high 80s.

None of the three previous Fantastic Four films (2005's Fantastic Four, 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, or 2015's Fant4stic) have managed to achieve a "Certified Fresh" rating, with the best-reviewed of the trio being Rise of the Silver Surfer at a dismal 37% Critics' Score.

Fantastic Four: First Steps jets into theaters on Friday, July 25, finally introducing the iconic Marvel team to the MCU for the first time. Its central costumed quartet will be played by Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn, as they take on the villainous Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) and Galactus (Ralph Ineson).

Why Fantastic Four: First Steps Needs To Succeed

The cast of Fantastic Four jumping toward the camera in The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Marvel Studios

Seeing the early positive reactions for Fantastic Four: First Steps will delight longtime fans of the Marvel Comics team. However, Marvel is likely also breathing a sigh of relief over how well the movie is faring critically before release.

To put it plainly, First Steps had to work for Marvel Studios. This movie comes off of two failed previous Fantastic Four movie franchises. And it arrives in theaters amid questions about whether Marvel Studios' MCU is still the theatrical powerhouse it once was following the critical miss that was Captain America: Brave New World and a relative box office flop in Thunderbolts*.

This is on top of the turning of the page this movie has to do, setting up next year's epic Avengers: Doomsday, due out in theaters on December 18, 2026. 

There is a lot of weight on First Steps' shoulders, so if it had landed with a thud, some soul-searching may have been for the MCU franchise. Luckily, at least critically, that does not seem to be the case for Fantastic Four. It is just a matter of whether the movie performs at the ticket window. 

Fantastic Four is being released into a crowded theatrical landscape with Jurassic World: Rebirth and DC Studios' Superman still on screens. Hopefully, the long wait for the Fantastic Four to come to the MCU, combined with these solid early reviews, will make for a massive payday for the new super-powered epic. 

- In This Article: The Fantastic Four
Release Date
July 25, 2025
Platform
Theaters
Actors
- About The Author: Klein Felt
Klein Felt is a Senior Editor at The Direct. Joining the website back in 2020, he helped jumpstart video game content on The Direct. Klein plays a vital role as a part of the site's content team, demonstrating expertise in all things PlayStation, Marvel, and the greater entertainment industry.