The Fantastic Four: First Stepshas become a highlight of the 2025 summer movie season. The movie introduces The Fantastic Four into theMCU, and gives Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) new leases on life. This is justthe most recent project to adapt this comic book family, as they’ve appeared in several movies and TV series over the years.
For those who love the movie, there are severalTV showsthat either feature these characters, these actors, or explore similar stories. Some of these series are earlier versions of The Fantastic Four, and highlight how these characters have evolved over time within the Marvel universe.The best series likeThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsreinforce what an important superhero project this movie is, and how each member of the team is perfectly cast in the movie.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
10’The Fantastic Four' (1967)
Created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera
The first Fantastic Four series,The Fantastic Four, isa campy good time and a fun animated series worth checking out.The series follows the members of The Fantastic Four as they face their sometimes unintentionally hilarious nemesis, including Mole Man and Doctor Doom. While the series doesn’t explore stories from the comics as in-depth as creatorsStan LeeandJack Kirby, it has its charm as it highlights how these characters have always been a family.
One of the strengths ofTheFantastic Four: First Stepsis the fact that it’s not afraid to be a comic book movie. Similarly,The Fantastic Fourfeels like a comic book brought to life. While the series is limited based on the technology of the time, fans ofThe Fantastic Four: First Stepswill find some similar tones.The Fantastic Fourmay not take itself as seriously asThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, but both stories show how charming these characters have been from their earliest days.
Fantastic Four
9’Fantastic Four' (1994–1996)
The 1990s cartoon seriesFantastic Fourwas part of an entire generation of animated superhero series. In this version of the story,The Fantastic Four get the chance to interact with other characters from the Marvel universe, including Black Panther, Hulk, Ghost Rider, and, of course, Silver Surfer. The series leans into how funny these characters are, and showcases how funny the superhero genre can be when different characters can riff off of one another.
WhileThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsstands alone as a movie, it’s still part of the MCU. For those who are curious about how this Fantastic Four could interact with some of Marvel’s most well-known and beloved characters,Fantastic Fourprovides a road map.Fantastic FourandThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsare also both stories that show just how well these four work together, and how much they support each other while figuring out their powers.
Fantastic Four: The Animated Series
8’Legion' (2017–2019)
Created by Noah Hawley
Legionis a unique superhero series set in the X-Men universe that introduces David Haller (Dan Stevens), a man with schizophrenia who has unique powers. He tries his best to control these powers while trying to evade evil forces trying to use them for their own purposes.David has to confront his true nature while trying to make sense of what’s realand what isn’t.Legionblurs the linebetween what’s real and what isn’t.
For those who appreciateThe Fantastic Four: First Step’s retro-futuristic aesthetic,Legionoffers a similar feel. Both series use their unique look and feel to add depth to their characters. Additionally, although David doesn’t have to join forces with others with similar abilities to fight a Galactus-level threat, he does still have to contend with the fact that his powers give him responsibilities that others don’t have.
David Haller, a troubled young man diagnosed with schizophrenia, discovers that the voices and visions tormenting him are manifestations of his mutant abilities. As he navigates a complex web of realities, he uncovers secrets about his past and faces powerful forces that threaten the fabric of existence.
7’Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes' (2006–2010)
Created by Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost
Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroesstands onits own as an animated series about this team. Unlike previous series,Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroesdoesn’t connect to any previous versions of these characters, and tells original stories of these characters interacting with others in the Marvel universe. This series gives The Fantastic Four a whole new look, and features them fighting some of their most important battles.
Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest HeroesandThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsboth jump right into the universe these characters exist in, and skip creating an origin story for them. For those who appreciate the fact thatThe Fantastic Four: First Stepssimply gets into a new story with these characters, rather than showing Ben hating himself or Sue Storm having to be without clothes when going invisible, may find a lot to love in this series.Both of these stories manage to be original while staying true to these comic book heroes.
Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes
6’The Last of Us' (2023–)
Created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann
The Last of Usis a post-apocalyptic thriller series that follows the aftermath of a world-ending fungal pandemic. The series introduces Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal), a man who loses his daughter at the beginning of the apocalypse. Years later, Joel is tasked with escorting Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a teen who’s immune to the fungus. Through their travels,the two become a family and rely on each otheras they navigate the violence of the end of the world.
For those who can’t get enough of Pedro Pascal in their lives,The Last of Usfeatures someof his most profound work. Much like Pascal brings a humanity and relatability to Reed Richards inThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, inThe Last of Us, Pascal paints Joel as a deeply flawed man who ultimately only ever wanted to do right by his family.Ultimately, for those who appreciate Pascal’s ability to bring humanity to his characters, bothThe Fantastic Four: First StepsandThe Last of Usare worth checking out.
The Last Of Us
After a global pandemic destroys civilization, a hardened survivor takes charge of a 14-year-old girl who may be humanity’s last hope.
5’Stranger Things' (2016–)
Created by Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer
Stranger Thingsis a sci-fi horror that’s set in the 1980s and begins with the disappearance of a young boy named Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) and the appearance of a mysterious girl with supernatural abilities known only as Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). Will’s friends search for him, anduncover a secret government lab conducting dangerous experimentsthat have opened a portal to an alternate dimension called the Upside Down.Joseph Quinn plays Eddie Munson, an eccentric high school student during Season 4.
Stranger ThingsandThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsspotlight the fact that Joseph Quinn is able to create lovable, charming, and quirky characters. In both stories, Quinn shows how he can create characters who could be obnoxious in lesser hands.Stranger ThingsandThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsshow how talented Quinn is at making himself an essential part of any ensemble, even if he isn’t the only central character.
Stranger Things
When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one strange little girl.
4’The Bear' (2022–)
Created by Christopher Storer
The Bearintroduces Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), a professionally trained chef who returns to Chicago to run his deceased brother Mikey’s (Jon Bernthal) sandwich shop. Carmy immediately finds the sandwich shop in chaos, and has to sell the staff on his vision for a new restaurant. Ebon Moss-Bachrach playsRichie Jerimovich, who was close friends with Mikey, and is someone the staff look up to.
Both The Thing and Richie are characters with outwardly tough exteriors who actually have the capacity to feel deeply.
The Bearis perfect for anyonewho was charmed by Moss-Bachrach’s performance inThe Fantastic Four: First Steps. Although he plays a significantly more abrasive character inThe Bear, Moss-Bachrach brings a similar energy to his version of The Thing. Both The Thing and Richie are characters with outwardly tough exteriors who actually have the capacity to feel deeply. These characters are also both prone to using humor to process emotional turmoil.
Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, a young chef from the fine dining world, returns to Chicago to run his family’s sandwich shop after a tragedy. As he navigates the chaotic environment of the small kitchen, Carmy must manage the struggles of turning around the failing business while dealing with his own grief and personal demons. The series dives deep into the intense world of culinary arts, highlighting the challenges of running a restaurant, the bonds formed among staff, and the relentless pursuit of perfection.
3’Ozark' (2017–2022)
Created by Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams
Ozarkis a dark crime drama that follows financial advisor Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) as he relocates his family from Chicago to the rural Ozarks aftera money-laundering scheme for a Mexican drug cartel goes wrong. He promises to launder millions of dollars to save his life, and makes his family part of his new criminal life.Julia Garnerplays Ruth Langmore, a woman who’s part of a local family of petty criminals.
OzarkandThe Fantastic Four: First Stepshighlight Garner’s ability to play morally complex characters who are ultimately easy to relate to. Garner’s Silver Surfer has a tragic backstory, and still clearly wants to do the right thing even though she has served Galactus for so long.Like Silver Surfer, Ruth Langmore is complicated. In these stories, Garner is able to highlight how well she’s able to add depth to characters who could be one-dimensional in lesser hands.
A financial advisor drags his family from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks, where he must launder money to appease a drug boss.
2’The Crown' (2016–2023)
Created by Peter Morgan
The Crownis a historical drama that fictionalizes the story of the British royal family. It begins in 1947, shortly beforeQueen Elizabeth II’s (Claire Foy) marriage toPrince Phillip(Matt Smith). InThe Crown’s first two seasons, Vanessa Kirbyplays Princess Margaret. In the first two seasons, Margaret was grieving the death of her father,trying to carve out an identity for herself apart from her sister the Queen, and coming to terms with the fact that she couldn’t marry the man she loved.
WhileThe CrownandThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsmay at first seem completely different, Kirby shows just how well she’s able to bring nuanced and lovable characters to life.As characters, Sue Storm and Princess Margaret have to navigate doing what’s right for their families while maintaining their own identity.The CrownandThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsshow how well Kirby is able to hone in on what motivates her characters emotionally.
Follows the political rivalries and romance of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign and the events that shaped the second half of the 20th century.
1’WandaVision' (2021)
Created by Jac Schaeffer
WandaVisionis the first MCU series, and follows Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) as they live their lives in a strange suburban utopian world. The series begins as a kind of period piece, before becoming a mystery. In the series, after the events ofAvengers: Endgame, Wanda and Vision find themselves living in an idyllic New Jersey town. However, it quickly becomes clear that something isn’t right as time moves differently and some things just seem out of place.
BothWandaVisionandThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsare unique projects within the MCU directed byMatt Shakman. They are both projects that stand on their own, while connecting to the larger universe.These two stories ultimately center on the importance of family, which is what Marvel is about when it’s at its best. Additionally, both series stand out among Marvel projects visually, since they make full use of the retro-futuristic aesthetic to tell stories that are fun while being unsettling at times.
WandaVision
Blends the style of classic sitcoms with the MCU, in which Wanda Maximoff and Vision - two super-powered beings living their ideal suburban lives - begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems.
