Director Matt Shakman explained how The Fantastic Four: First Steps' self-contained universe is unique from other MCU realities. Heavily inspired by the aesthetic of 60s science-fiction movies, First Steps will be as overwhelmingly retro-futuristic as the Fantastic Four comics.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a homage to 60s space movies, especially Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. "" director Matt Shakman told Empire. "Within reason." Fans are in for a visual treat, as many of the scenes in First Steps will feature practical props and sets; Shakman confirmed the spaceship depicted in the trailer was filmed with a 14-foot-tall miniature. "" he added. "Of course, we still have a lot of CG."

The film's retro-futuristic aesthetic is heavily inspired by the comics, and The MCU will adapt the story by way of the multiverse. Shakman said First Steps is all about the first family of the Marvel Universe, there are no cameos or surprise characters. "" he asserted. "Which is wonderful and liberating. There's no running into Iron Man or whatever. They're it, in this universe. I love the interconnected Marvel Universe, but we get to do something so new and so different. Eventually this world will meet up with other worlds — but for now this is our own little corner."

That freedom allowed Shakman to go all-in on the Fantastic Four's self-contained arc. The trailer teased that the story will revolve around the main ensemble and their family dynamic. Nostalgia will also be part of the movie's charm, much like Loki and WandaVision. First Steps is grounded science fiction, however; Shakman set boundaries around the lore. "I really wanted to go with ," he explained. "So, no wormholes. Their tech is very much retro-future, but it's also booster rockets. "

"" he added. "It's about JFK and optimism. It's imagining these four going into space instead of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. This idea is that they are the most famous people in America, because they're adventurers, explorers, astronauts — not because they're superheroes. And they come back and they're superheroes on top of it. But primarily they're astronauts, they're family."

First Steps is expected to establish the Fantastic Four as pillar characters in the MCU, which heads into new territory after Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. The casting announcement for Doomsday also hinted at the much-anticipated crossover between the OG X-Men and the Fantastic Four.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps premieres in theaters on Jul. 25.

Source: Empire

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  The Fantastic Four: First Steps