The 4 Best Movies To Watch To Prepare For ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’

We’re only a few short weeks away from the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and audiences couldn’t be more thrilled about the chance to see Marvel’s latest venture in theaters across the country.

Featuring the first canonical appearance of the titular team in the MCU, The Fantastic Four also promises to be one of the major blockbuster films of the summer, directly rivalling the DC’s fellow summertime release, Superman.

With audiences counting down the days until The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ release, we thought it only fitting we write up a list of films viewers might want to watch ahead of the movie’s arrival on July 25.

Fantastic Four (2005)

Twenty years before Pedro Pascal led the extraordinary quartet in the MCU film, the Fantastic Four were initially brought to life with an ill-fated 2005 Marvel movie. Though far from a perfect film, it might prove beneficial for some audience members to revisit the previous iteration of the Fantastic Four in this largely forgotten superhero epic. (Heck, it’s also worth seeing Chris Evans hand in an enjoyable performance as Johnny Storm years before he made it big as fellow Marvel hero, Captain America).

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

According to The Fantastic Four’s director, a key narrative influence on First Steps was none other than Sam Raimi’s fan-favorite Spider-Man trilogy. That being said, we’ll go ahead and point to the finest entry in the series as a movie you might want to check out, with many considering Spider-Man 2 one of the best superhero films viewers have seen to date. A thoughtful study of Peter’s struggle to balance his life as an ordinary college student with his alternative identity as Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2 is a beloved superhero film whose critical esteem only grows more favorable with each passing year.

Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

With most of The Fantastic Four taking place outside the overall continuity of the MCU, it’s likely that alternative realities will figure into the plot of the film in some way, shape, or form. With that in mind, it’s perhaps a good time to see how Marvel broached the Multiverse with certain past projects, including 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine. With Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman officially stepping into the MCU in their joint venture here, Deadpool & Wolverine is a superhero fans’ ultimate dream come true, spelling out the end of the Fox-owned X-Men series with a satisfying final note.

Thunderbolts* (2025)

The other big MCU release of 2025, Thunderbolts* also marks a new beginning for the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, cobbling together a group of unlikely replacements for the original Avengers Initiative. Though one should think about seeing Thunderbolts* due to its relatively close release to The Fantastic Four, it’s also worth mentioning the importance of the movie’s post-credit scene. We’re not going to share any spoilers, but it seems like said scene will feature a direct tie-in into the events of The Fantastic Four, better explaining the group’s entry into the MCU ahead of Avengers: Doomsday in 2026.